Online shopping is safe and here to stay
Iput on my mask, wore a pair of gloves, sprayed some hand sanitizer. With that ritual, in another time, I should have been a healthcare worker. But today I am just an ordinary shopper headed to a neighbourhood store.
Shopping has changed. It’s been swift and sweeping. We have seen behavioral shifts in consumers everywhere in the world. The butterflies have returned to their cocoon, becoming cost-conscious, simplifying their lives, and playing safe.
Under lockdown, our local stores equipped with a human runner became the lifeline for the average homemaker. They started taking orders on WhatsApp. For digital platforms, these stores are a goldmine waiting to be unearthed; the final frontier for digital transformation in the retail industry. So, it was a no-brainer when Facebook announced Facebook Shops to target the millions of local stores. This made clear its motivations behind the recent partnership with Reliance’s Jio digital platform in India. Reliance’s commanding business presence across its ventures has always been predicated on small businesses.
How is Facebook Shops different from Amazon? Think of Amazon as a massive store that sells your products online. While Facebook offers you an online mall, where sellers are provided a digital key to their online store. They can manage their store, beautify them and make them available across all Facebook apps. As things stand today, you have more control over your customer on Facebook and Instagram, but you still need to think about your logistics and warehousing.
In the post Covid-era, our fears, concerns, desires and aspirations will manifest into new shopping behaviours. Reverse buying will open up the possibility of exchange sales, although stores have suspended their exchange policies today. The returns will be mandatorily quarantined for a few days. Home cooking will continue to drive the online sales of fresh foods as is evident in China where some platforms saw 200 per cent increase in sales.
It was a no-brainer when Facebook announced Facebook Shops to target the millions of local stores
Home delivery of fresh food will see innovation in hygiene, quality control, and distribution. Delivery models such as click and collect will become more of a norm.
The manner in which we consumers have consciously changed our shopping habits is a testament to our adaptability and resilience. We haven’t given up; we have simply hunkered down to defy the odds. In the post Covid-19 era, we will expect to remain in control of a more mindful and sanitised retail experience.