The coronavirus may have sent people sheltering indoors, but it couldn't stop ecommerce. Quite the opposite, if online buying trends are any indication. Consumers have quickly turned to the Internet to buy a litany of everyday and specialty products, including many things they would never have purchased online before the global outbreak.
Case in point: Recent shopping behavior research from Adobe Analytics reveals that interest in e-purchases of hygiene and sanitization products have jumped by more than 800% since the beginning of COVID-19 shutdowns. Similarly, insights from GoodData and Emarsys suggest ecommerce as a whole has catapulted by 80% since the beginning of 2020.
Of course, Americans' lives won't be relegated to staying at home forever. The pandemic will pass, and everyone will try to return to normalcy. Nevertheless, shoppers may want to continue relying on their devices to make buying specific merchandise and services cheaper, more efficient, and more convenient.
What should you order online post-coronavirus, even if you have a choice? Consider these five suggestions.
1. Paper-based household goods
COVID-19 taught us the value of having at least a modest backup supply of pantry and linen closet necessities including toilet paper, facial tissues, and paper towels. You don't have to become a hoarder, of course. However, it's not a bad idea to find the brand you like and sign up for automatic monthly delivery through services like Amazon Subscribe and Save.
What's the upshot of receiving household must-haves at your door monthly or less often? Foremost, you'll never worry again about running low on bathroom essentials or paper goods, and you won't have to lug a 24-pack of toilet paper around the grocery store. Plus, you could see a significant reduction in your per-piece cost, which will help conserve your savings.
2. Prescription and over-the-counter medications
Adobe's data suggests that health-conscious consumers are focused on having pain killers and similar remedies on hand during coronavirus. Online purchases of cough and cold medications have risen nearly 200% in just a few weeks between the end of March and mid-April. Yet over-the-counter pills, syrups, and solutions aren't the only type of pharmaceuticals to get a web ordering boost. Prescription medications are rising in online popularity, too.
Before coronavirus, people who needed new prescriptions had to travel to their doctor before heading to a nearby pharmacy. COVID-19 has made this process impractical, and potentially dangerous, for many individuals and families. Consequently, consumers are finding legitimate websites devoted to connecting them with the prescriptions they need. Nurx, for example, makes ordering birth control and related prescription medications streamlined and inexpensive. Why spend valuable time on mind-numbing errands when you can have what you need shipped to your door?
3. Home office supplies
The Society for Human Resources Management estimates that around two-thirds of companies have moved to remote working for most, if not all, employees. Many of those workers never teleworked previously. The longer shelter-in-place regulations continue, the more normal working from home will become. Already, many people have innovatively set up ergonomically comfortable workstations in closets, empty corners, and basements. They've ordered furniture and routers, technology and folders. And they're successfully zoning out distractions like mewling cats and squabbling kiddos.
Even after workforces return to their physical offices, some team members may occasionally work remotely. For instance, a staffer who proved he could handle responsibilities from home during the outbreak may negotiate working out of his apartment once a week. In order to sell this type of arrangement, employees must show they can maintain a productive home office setting. And that means always having ink, toner, paper, and pens on hand. Those items can easily be shipped on a routine basis, making last-minute trips to the nearest office supply store unnecessary.
4. Telehealth
With doctors' offices, emergency rooms, and urgent care facilities swamped, patients seeking medical advice for problems not related to COVID-19 are exploring telehealth options. Plenty of insurance plans already cover telehealth on some level. Today, consumers are more open than ever to moving their healthcare online for fast, practical service and counsel.
If you haven't considered working telehealth into your annual healthcare routine, you may want to revisit the process. Telehealth can cost less, enable you to talk to a physician from the comfort of your living room, and allow you to avoid contact with potentially contagious people in crowded waiting rooms. Investigate your insurance package to learn if telehealth is a viable option for your needs. You don't have to ditch your favorite general practitioner; consider telehealth a supplement for times when in-person treatment isn't necessary.
5. Pet food
Are you a pet parent? Your pets probably love having you around. Coronavirus gives them the chance to hang out with their humans, getting attention, treats, and snuggle time. To keep up with your four-legged, finned, feathered, or scaly friends' nutritional and recreational needs without stepping foot outside, find websites devoted to selling high-quality pet products at decent prices.
Want to save money now and in the future? Look for specials and coupons. Some online pet supply chains like Chewy and Petco dangle repeat delivery discounts if you auto-schedule shipments. Just figure out how much food your pet eats each month, and then pre-order the perfect amount of nibbles and snacks. You'll never have to fret that you're running low on kibble, nesting material, or birdseed again.
If we've learned anything from the coronavirus outbreak, it's that we can order practically anything online. Bookmark all the ecommerce sites you visit to make life after COVID-19 more efficient. Schedule these recurring orders with an online calendar so you know when they are coming and can plan on when the bills hit. Overall, you might miss shopping at brick and mortar spots now, you'll appreciate being able to order key purchases online when the excitement of lingering in long checkout lines wears thin.
