Shoppers are expected to continue to ditch the high street in favour of online shopping as society reopens after COVID-19 restrictions, research from Qubit has said.
The findings came from a survey of 1,500 US and UK consumers, 85.9 per cent of whom plan to continue shopping online either the same amount or more often.
Online shopping as a whole is up 25.7 per cent on 2020, with 2021 projected to be the biggest year for online shopping on record.
Meanwhile, 64.1 per cent of consumers surveyed will continue to shop online for fashion, with 47 per cent set to shop online for beauty products.
“While 2020 was record-breaking for online shopping, we are seeing that global circumstances have espoused persistent changes in shopper behavior,” said Tracey Ryan O’Connor, chief revenue officer at Qubit.
“Many consumers have grown accustomed to shopping online. This is extremely important for brands to be aware of as they begin planning for the 2021 holiday season, which may outpace 2020’s gains online considerably. To fully leverage the growth in ecommerce, retailers must factor in how consumers shop to meet customer expectations on the experiences they deliver, ensuring they’re aligned with current shopping trends.”
emerchantpay - an online payment service provider covering card payments, eWallet, prepaid cards and alternative payment methods - offered retailers advice on how to adapt to the increasingly digital nature of shopping with a new guide called How to prepare for a digital Christmas in 2021.
Noting that 21 per cent of consumers in the UK said that they would "shop less on the high street than they did pre-pandemic", the guide explained that price remains the most important consideration.
"Although the consumer conscience is increasingly attuning to the importance of issues such as sustainability and brand ethics, with so much choice online, cost and convenience are sure to remain at the top of any consumer’s shopping list this Christmas season," said Angus Burrell, SVP Retail at emerchantpay.
Meanwhile, Burrell stressed the importance of making the shopping experience as simple and seamless as possible.
"Retailers must navigate the new balance between in-store and online to maintain a seamless shopping experience," he added.
"Consumers may choose to purchase an item online but opt for collection in-store or curbside. Likewise, the recipient of an unwanted Christmas gift may choose to visit the physical shop to make a return.”
