Consumer behaviour shifts as non essential retailers prepare to reopen
Over a third of Brits have tried a local small restaurant or shop for the first time by ordering online during coronavirus lockdowns, according to research from Internet Association (IA).
This also found that 71% of the 250 wholesale, retail and food SMEs surveyed plan to continue selling products online after the end of lockdown.
30% offered a delivery function for the first time during the pandemic and 20% online sales for the first time in order to continue being able to earn revenue while their shops were shut.
More people now plan on taking a blended approach to their shopping habits from next week, as non-essential retailers reopen their stores, with 29% saying they will shop half online, half in person (up from 23% saying the same thing before the coronavirus pandemic).
This approach is also expected by SMEs. When asked about their pre-pandemic sales, 17% had a mixture of online and in-store sales. However, 25% now expect to have a mixture once physical locations return to action.
“This new research shows how the internet has played a vital role during the lockdowns over the last 12 months,” says a spokesperson for IA, whose members include Amazon, PayPal, eBay, Etsy and Twitter.
“Importantly, it also shows how the internet can help drive the UK recovery forward.”
“The way people work, shop, and do business may have changed for good - it is clear that the internet sector can help ensure that those changes boost the UK economy, communities, and wider society.”
