E-Commerce: How it Has Been Affected by COVID-19

E-commerce has had the world’s attention for a while now, especially considering how radically it has transformed the concept of shopping. This industry was poised to grow like no other industry. And the sector had all the signs of sticking to that growth trajectory as well. However, then the coronavirus pandemic came along and turned everything upside down. Starting in March 2020, most countries in the world imposed lockdowns, meaning most of the global population had been confined to their homes. This took a toll on businesses, including e-commerce. But now, as most governments have lifted/are lifting these restrictions, consumers continue to demonstrate signs of hesitation and understandably so. After all, the lockdowns also put their finances in complete disarray.

Now, one may rightly point out that with brick and mortar stores temporarily shut, e-commerce should have been the savior. And it was, but the sentiment was relatively low at first, owing to fears over the infection and, of course, the finances. However, the e-commerce industry is already starting to show signs of recovery. By April 2020, online revenue growth had increased by 68 percent. Experts believe that this growth will continue even after the pandemic has been dealt with for good. However, for e-commerce companies to achieve this growth, they must first understand how the industry has been affected by COVID-19.

1. User experience is vital: As an increasing number of people shop online, brands must focus on the customer experience to gain their business and foster loyalty. One key area of focus must be scalable mobile apps that can accommodate growing traffic without flinching.
2. Increased traffic: Owing to the quarantine, more and more people have been compelled to shop online for even the most basic things. This means e-commerce retailers must ensure their websites and mobile apps are ready to take on the extra load. In such a scenario, business continuity is critical and provides better communication and engagement with customers. And for that, you will need a robust digital infrastructure.
3. New potential for growth: Even though the market is a tad slow, it is only a matter of time it picks up pace again. This translates into excellent opportunities for e-commerce companies that can expand into newer segments than their current range of offerings to tap into this newfound potential.

Now, let’s also discuss how the industry will gain even more importance in the post coronavirus world.

1. While e-commerce is already considerably massive, it is poised to become one of the primary means of shopping for customers worldwide.
2. It will help shoppers bypass the need for restricted footfall in stores, masks, social distancing, etc. by allowing them to shop from their homes' convenience.
3. Even in the face of curfews and other restrictions on movement, e-commerce will help ensure that customers have all that they need without being bound by the aforementioned limitations imposed by the authorities.

To cut a long story short, for any retailer looking to survive the pandemic and what lies beyond it, custom eCommerce application development is the only way forward. This will allow them to not only navigate the market but achieve growth like never before.