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The current health crisis has forced many consumers to embrace e-commerce for their shopping needs, and experts predict this trend will continue even after the pandemic subsides. A recent report released by Salesforce found that 44% of US survey respondents are not only doing more shopping online than they were pre-pandemic but that they expect to continue to do so even after the threat from COVID-19 recedes. In fact, 68% of US shoppers polled by Salesforce expected to continue to shop online for their essential goods rather than return to brick-and-mortar stores. While all groups reported a heavy dependence on digital channels for their shopping needs, there were notable differences among various age segments. Gen Z and Millennials reported the greatest level of interest in shopping online for essential goods at 73 percent as did 69 percent of Gen X respondents. In contrast, a respectable fifty-seven percent of Baby Boomer respondents said they planned to do more online shopping for essentials. US Buyers Online After CovidNo matter the age group, these figures are a marked increase from previous years and an indication that consumers are relying upon e-commerce and digital channels during the pandemic. M-commerce is also experiencing a boom according to the Salesforce study. Thirty-seven percent of adults said they would be more likely to shop via mobile apps during the 2020 holiday period than in 2019 while 45 percent of adults in the survey reported that they would use in-app shopping at the same rate as 2019. |
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While digital, e- and m-commerce shopping is booming, US retail sales are expected to drop 10.5% in total this year due to declines in brick-and-mortar stores. E-commerce, however, is predicted to surge 18.0%, following a 14.9% gain in 2019. Brands need to ensure their consumers have safe and authentic experiences in digital channels and especially with their apps. To see how to develop your own mobile app brand protection strategy, download our free guide here. |