After a long winter spent mostly in lockdown, most Britons are looking forward to the gradual easing of restrictions beginning this spring. But a survey commissioned by Vauxhall Motors has revealed that many won’t be returning to the busy high street any time soon.
According to the survey, a staggering 9 out of 10 shoppers claim that they will carry on making the majority of their purchases online, even after their favorite stores go back to offering an in-person service. Not only that, but experts also found that almost half of the 2,000 people surveyed reported much lower levels of stress while shopping online when compared to visiting a physical store.
So what exactly is going on? Well, it appears to be at least partially to do with pressure – or the lack thereof. Typically, many of us feel coerced into making purchases when visiting a physical store, particularly one that employs pushy salesmen. And according to almost 30 percent of those surveyed, the absence of pressure when shopping online is a big plus.
Another factor that has worked in favor of online shopping is the change in consumer habits that months of lockdown have brought about. Previously, most of us preferred to purchase items that we could see or try on before committing. But now, many Brits are happy to buy online and simply send things back if they turn out to be unsuitable. In fact, one in 10 respondents had even used the internet to purchase a new car without seeing it in person or taking it for a test drive.
As reported by The Sun, Vauxhall Motor’s James Taylor said:
“There can be a lot of misconceptions around making bigger purchases online, but we are seeing that it’s becoming a much more normalized way of shopping… the worst that can happen with an expensive online purchase is that you don’t like it – but just as with a pair of jeans you buy online, grace periods, returns and refunds are perfectly common.”
Moreover, as many as 7 out of 10 respondents cited the ability to purchase everything you need in one go – rather than trekking from store to store – as a big advantage of online shopping. Which is great news for e-commerce marketplaces like Add to Cart. While lockdown has meant an understandable boost for online stores, this shift in consumer habits suggests that the trend is showing no signs of slowing down.
