Since 12^th April, it’s been encouraging to see consumers are starting to gain confidence and enter the shops again after a prolonged absence. The general consensus is that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, and people are no doubt becoming more comfortable with venturing out to the supermarket, but what can we make of this surge? Is it here for good, or just a temporary rise as lockdown restrictions ease, and what does it mean for e-commerce?

Following new research from Nielson showing an increased number of British shoppers making trips to supermarkets in April, Jason Hofmann provides his thoughts on how the industry should respond:

“The recent increase in supermarket footfall is certainly a promising sign about increasing consumer confidence and excitement to return to other physical stores. However, we don’t see the long-term shift in utilising e-commerce channels experienced over the past year going away. 

To navigate this immediate disruption and continue to grow their business in the long term, digital retailers should continue to focus their efforts on optimising the customer journey. This means offering payment flexibility, managing shipping expectations, and overall creating a seamless experience for the customer. By solidifying customer relationships, ecommerce brands can continue to build customer loyalty even as shoppers return to physical stores. Both converting and keeping customers will provide a strong foundation for ecommerce businesses to thrive.”