At the onset of the pandemic, shopping behavior was reactive, characterized by hoarding essentials like toilet paper and cleaning products. However, as the crisis persisted, this shifted into adaptive behavior. Consumers who previously never shopped for groceries online (~85%) began to do so regularly, and many have not returned to their old in-store frequencies.
The increase in online shopping during COVID‐19 - ScienceDirect buy pandemic online
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a seismic shift in how we shop, accelerating digital adoption by roughly five years in a matter of months. While initial spikes were driven by necessity and lockdowns, the "homebody economy" has since matured into a permanent lifestyle for many, with 1 in 5 grocery sales projected to occur online by 2026. Businesses that thrive today are those that have successfully blended digital speed with personal customer experiences. At the onset of the pandemic, shopping behavior