Social Distancing Due To COVID-19 Is Boosting E-commerce

24 Mar 2020

Mike Patel

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is making a huge impact, isolation and social distancing measures have already been put in place across the USA. This is all a new territory for the entire world being affected by the pandemic COVID -19.

The pressure is on E-commerce with customers opting for online purchases as they avoid public places. More than 85.6% of the respondents (age 60+) in a survey by Coresight Research said they were likely to avoid grocery shopping in person at malls and other brick and mortar stores

This had a direct impact on the adoption of online shopping. E-commerce activity, particularly for health and grocery, is increasing. But maintaining a smooth chain of supply is proving to be a challenge to digital retailers in this state of the epidemic. And, the combination of supply as well as demand shock due to COVID-19 means the situation is going to be more complex and faster-moving than ever before.

The surge in demand has impacted the logistics as well as the supply chain in the short-term.

The E-commerce experts at ioVista have come up with some ways to overcome the effect of Coronavirus on e-commerce:

Make Sure Your Website Is Ready For A Traffic Influx

Be ready to get a massive influx of traffic to your website for people who are eager to buy the products available in your store. Your website may see a pretty steady flow of traffic regularly, but during this time, you need to prepare for an uptick.

Test your server’s load capacity so that you can be sure that your website can sustain a big wave of traffic.

Have A Backup Plan

What kind of contingency plans do you have in place should the worst happen? Making sure that your website can sustain the traffic is one thing, but do you know if you are going to have enough in your supply or inventory to meet a huge increase in customer demand?

Alter Your Advertising Budget As Per The Shopping Behavior

Monitor the shopping behavior of the new visitors to your website. As people are spending a lot of time online, advertise in ways that capture their attention on social media or video networks.

Make Sure You’re Mobile Optimized

This should go without saying, but the majority of your customers start most of their searches and do the majority of their shopping from their mobile device. Test your website to make sure that it is optimized and loads quickly on mobile devices.

Set Shipping Expectation

Let your customers know that due to increased demand and supply chain issues, the shipping and processing times may take a little longer.

Offer a Generous Return Policy

Don’t let your return policy be the only thing holding your customers back from buying your product. Offer them a generous return policy so they have the comfort they need to buy at that very moment.

Being an E-commerce store owner, you need to be prepared not only for supply chain challenges but also for the latest coronavirus news driving the consumer behavior.

Mike Patel

Mike Patel is the Founder and CEO of ioVista, a leading digital commerce agency specializing in eCommerce solutions. With a strong background in business and technology, Mike Patel has been at the forefront of driving digital transformations for businesses. He has successfully navigated the ever-changing landscape of eCommerce, helping companies leverage the power of online platforms to grow their brand, increase revenues, and optimize their digital presence. Under his leadership, ioVista has become a trusted partner with major technology companies: Adobe/Magento, Google, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Yahoo. He is dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and continuously improving strategies to provide clients with a competitive edge. Mike’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction is evident in every project ioVista undertakes.