The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed online shopping in the World.
According to a survey conducted by United Nation Conference, Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Netcomm Suisse eCommerce Association, in collaboration with the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and Inveon, shows that online purchases have increased by 6 to 10 percentage points across most product categories.
Consumers in emerging economies have made the greatest shift to online shopping, the survey shows. The changes we make now will have lasting effects as the world economy begins to recover,” said
However, average online monthly spending per shopper has dropped markedly Consumers in both emerging and developed economies have postponed larger expenditures, with those in emerging economies focusing more on essential products.
Tourism and travel sectors have suffered the strongest decline, with average spending per online shopper dropping by 75 per cent according to the survey.
“During the pandemic, online consumption habits in Brazil have changed significantly, with a greater proportion of internet users buying essential products, such as food and beverages, cosmetics and medicines,” said Alexandre Barbosa, manager of the Regional Center of Studies on the Development of Information Society (Cetic.br) at the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br).
Increases in online shopping during COVID-19 differ between countries, with the strongest rise noted in China and Turkey and the weakest in Switzerland and Germany, where more people were already engaging in e-commerce.
Also, according to survey responses, small merchants in China were most equipped to sell their products online and those in South Africa were least prepared.
Most respondents, especially those in China and Turkey, said they’d continue shopping online and focusing on essential products in the future.
