E-commerce consumers looking to increase frequency of purchases

Nearly half of consumers (47%) are looking to increase the frequency they shop on-line, according to a new study, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to shift consumer behaviour online.

According to research by O2 Business and Retail Economics, some 44% of consumers believe that Covid-19 will have a lasting effect on the way they shop. with 34% saying that they sourced essential and non-essential items online during lockdown.

The report also found that 24% of consumers purchased an item online while they were in-store.

Jo Bertram, managing director at O2 Business, said:  “The effect the lockdown has had to the way we buy has been significant, but they’ve accentuated these shifts more than redirected them.”

The survey also found that 47% of consumers preferred home delivery compared to 53% who preferred to go to physical stores to buy goods.

Retail Economics chief executive Richard Lim said: “We’ve already witnessed a significant shift towards online and it’s inevitable that some of these behaviours will become permanent, with digital playing a much more important role.”

“The new normal will involve a step-change in the integration of digital technologies and retailers are assessing what this means for the number of stores, where they should invest and the potential partnerships that could be formed.”