Almost half of consumers expect to permanently change shopping habits

Research from O2 Business and Retail Economics reveals how the dramatic increase in online shopping signals an imminent change in the retail sector. The research showed that 47 per cent of customers will increase the number of times they shop online, after over a third (34 per cent) bought goods from online retailers during lockdown.

This will be a concern for high street retailers, which have seen footfall decrease after people were told to stay at home at the start of the outbreak.

Over a third (37 per cent) of shoppers said they have used their mobile to look at reviews and price-check online while out shopping.

Jo Bertram, managing director at O2 Business, said: “As a technology partner to the industry, we wanted to find out what the tectonic shifts have been in how people have engaged with each other over the last decade.

“In particular, the way in which smartphones, tablets and even watches have impacted us all as customers, retailers and business leaders.

“The effect the lockdown has had to the way we buy has been significant, but they’ve accentuated these shifts more than redirected them.”

Richard Lim, chief executive officer of Retail Economics, said: “The impact of Covid-19 has re-wired the customer journey, leaving many retailers scrambling to assess the impact as they attempt to realign their proposition to meet a new normal.

“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.

“Many of these consumers are shopping for goods online for the first time, overcoming the barriers of setting up online accounts, entering payment details and gaining trust.

“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.”

Earlier this week, Leeds-based Asda said that online sales doubled in the past quarter after the coronavirus pandemic caused a structural shift in customer shopping habits. Asda increased its delivery capacity by 65 per cent in its second quarter.