The pandemic has hit us pretty hard. By us, I mean everyone, the service class, the business people, the homemakers, the citizens, the immigrants and the world economy.
Everywhere you look, you are bound to see nothing but financial woes.
People who are on the verge of getting a promotion were asked to take a permanent leave of absence.
People who had been working for years in an organisation, their designation were eliminated and henceforth, they were as well.
People who were nothing but loyal to their companies were repaid with a retrenchment letter for their loyalties.
Even though there is not one particular person who can be blamed for this, the devastation is still going to be heard for years to come. What is one supposed to do when all of a sudden he has no livelihood?
He can apply for government benefits to stay afloat and even get loans for bad credit that require no guarantor, especially meant to serve the needs of the people on benefits. These loans have certainly been the saving grace in these times.
Now, you have a fair idea of the situation we are in. Despite all of this turbulence, here is a sector that has been making a profit even in the lockdown. This is a business arena that is never daunted even by the worse of them all. This category triumphed with ease over the COVID and smiled in victory.
This business is that of the online retailers, the online platforms that let us buy anything we want from the confines of our homes. This is business model was a perfect answer to the pandemic shopping and therefore, it never ceased its business.
Here is a look at the reasons for the same.
The Lockdown Sale
The online businesses do not need to have a physical store to be operational, if that were the case, they would not use the term online.
So, when the rigid shutdown was announced by many governments all over the world, be it India or our every own UK, we were not surprised that the boisterousness of the marketplace was replaced the desertedness.
With actual stores being closed, people had to go somewhere to placate their shopping needs. So, they went to the online avenues, being the retailers. Even though the deliveries could not be made, the online retailers did not close shop. Nope, they did the exact opposite. Many of them started offering lockdown sales. Trust me, I am not lying.
Every shopping website and application had the words Lockdown or Pandemic Sale posted in Bold on their homepages.
If you ask me how I liked his idea, I would simply say one word and that is “astute.” The internet sellers enticed their sellers with lowered prices, took the orders, many of which were prepaid, and promised to repay after the shutdown got relaxed. How is this not clever?
The Home Deliveries
The biggest problem with the pandemic is that people are scared to venture outside and they are not wrong to fear. We all know that the virus is contagious. We might go out for a fun day-out and end up with a virus in our bodies.
In times like these, the online sellers are the greatest solution.
The e-commerce sector does not ask anyone to come out of their homes not in the pandemic and not ever. All you got to do is go the respective seller’s website and buy to your heart’s desire.
You want a bunch of groceries, packed and ready for consumption? From produce spices, e-commerce has you sorted. Amazon pantry is a great place for just that.
You want a whole new wardrobe? From Zara to H&M, every leading brand has a virtual presence and e-commerce lets to tap into that.
Everything you buy comes to your home safe and sound. Then all you need to do is wipe it squeaky clean, just for extra measure and you are good to go.
So, I’ll ask you again. Are the online retailers not profiting in the pandemic.
The Precautionary Check
Buying anything at all in the pandemic, warrants caution; you never know which surface or contact may make you catch the virus. All of us have become germophobes in the pandemic.
So, when an online seller tell you that he is as big a germophobe as you, you find a sense of relief and become inclined to buy from him. And that is how, once again the e-commerce spectrum is minting money and every other business is losing it.
The e-traders ensure that all of their staff from packaging to deliveries has a normal body temperature, with regular checks before every day and before very delivery.
The contactless deliveries have become a thing, wherein the delivery agent would ring you and drop he package on the doorstep and leave. Neither will you come in contact with him, nor he with you.
Hence, for the last time, would you not trust a seller who is taking such precautionary measures to safeguard you and him? I certainly would and that is why the online businesses are operational and flourishing.