Your webshop can be your safety net in times of crisis

While the physical stores and parts of the industry have been financially affected by the corona crisis, a large number of webshops have experienced an increase in sales. For the stores that have supplemented their physical store with a webshop, the webshop has functioned as a safety net.

Danes' online consumption has thus increased in the first half of 2020, and with the country's lockdown, consumers have stepped up their online purchases.

The big advantage of a webshop has become clear over the past six months - if your customers can't come to your store, your store must come to the customers.

Online shopping vs. physical shopping

The stores have changed their mindset regarding customer service. Lounge music, friendly smiles and uncluttered shelves have not been the most important thing for consumers during the corona crisis. On the other hand, it has clear menu indexes, accessibility and short loading times.

It is both the older and younger generations that have taken online shopping to heart. For both target groups, the user interface design and navigation on the webshop are decisive for the customer experience.

Who buys what?

According to a study from Foreningen for Dansk Internethandel (FDIH) (The Association for Danish Internet Trade) it is virtually all product categories that have increased in online turnover.

The major consumers are people who live in big cities, families with children and women. As far as families with children are concerned, clothes and shoes in particular have been bought online.

In the big cities, the increase has been greatest within take away and daily groceries, while home goods have increased more in the villages.

Consumer goods such as clothes, shoes and accessories are the product category that has increased the most in both rural and urban areas.

Medicines and cosmetics are also high on the list of product categories that Danes have started shopping online.

The elderly have become more comfortable with e-commerce

In the past, the older generation met online shopping with some skepticism, due to the uncertainty of shopping online. In these times, the same generation experiences a new form of security in online shopping, which they cannot get in physical stores.

The pensioners and people in the risk groups have stayed away from the supermarkets, and many have started shopping for groceries online. At nemlig.com they have experienced a significant increase in the number of elderly people who use their online service:

"These days we are experiencing a significant increase in the number of older customers who want to shop via nemlig.com. It is actually the customer group that has grown the most in recent months,”

read a press release from nemlig.com in May 2020.

The future is digital

No one knows what the future holds, but with the development we see in online commerce, we dare say that the future is digital.

The corona crisis has affected online sales, but in 2019, when physical stores were not affected by closures, online shopping also increased - this is shown in the pulication 'IT use in the population 2019’, prepared by Statistics Denmark.

Consumers want easy access to their goods. Shopping online is time-saving and safe..

Read more about which webshop solutions itpilot can offer you.