The COVID-19 is not all bad as there are positive changes made that won’t have been possible without the virus. One giant stride taken by the COVID-19 is in the aspect of online shopping.
Before the coronavirus, online shopping was duly noted but not as extensive as during the virus. As more people were forced on lockdowns, more people started moving online and platforms such as Collected.Reviews were buzzing with opinions and reviews.
The pandemic shaped everything from the way we order to the way goods are delivered. Today, shopping online safely is no longer a question of when it has been made a priority. Listed below are some ways online shopping has been shaped.
1. Contactless Payment:
Online shopping has been made more explicit with the rise in contactless payment. This form of payment allows you to pay without using your debit or credit cards. This was made possible by the COVID-19 and the measure of social distancing. Contactless payment has so far helped keep transactions safe and easy to make. It is also more sustainable than traditional payment methods through the use of cards.
2. Delivery:
As more people shift to online shopping, the economy shifts with it. Before now, trades had been focused on producers. But today, more businesses are delivery-centric as they focus more on consumers, thereby impacting the way goods are delivered through the use of tools and technologies.
3. Dropshipping:
This is not a new term as it has been in use for some time now. However, the term has been made more profound with the outbreak of coronavirus forcing people to move online. Dropshipping is a business term that means a store does not keep what it sells but rather orders what it sells from another store which is often larger and more renowned. The business term is common among small businesses whose sole marketing media are social media.
4. Social Marketing:
You would have noticed the impact of social media marketing on not only the way goods are shipped online but also how goods are delivered. Through the COVID-19, an influx of social terms for businesses was carved such as WhatsApp entrepreneurs, newsletter managers, etc. With internet users on the rise, marketers are taking advantage of the development to sell products through digital storytelling, online forums, and various strategies of content management.
5. Order and Returns:
It would have been incredibly difficult to make and track orders before the use of technology. Today, the story is in the past thanks to contributions from the COVID-19. You can track orders and return goods as easily as made possible by the store. Also, you can read reviews and opinions about the features of a store before you plunge in and learn about their order processes and return policies.
Conclusion
Everything bad has its good sides. And everything good has its bad sides. This is the narrative behind the outbreak of the coronavirus. The good side is that it shaped the perception of online shopping and keeps people on the lookout for digital goods.