Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic for Online Shopping Preference of Consumables among Youth of Punjab-An Exploratory Study

Abstract

In the U.S. reportedly online sales hit $791.70 billion in 2020, up 32.4% from $598.02 billion in the prior year, according to Commerce Department figures. With an eye on the pandemic ecommerce seems to have thrived in 2020 because of store closures and shoppers’ fear of contracting the Corona virus in public. This was largely because with the corona virus cases spiking in January, 2021, many of the consumers were avoiding direct contact at stores and purchasing online.

Focus:This paper looks into the market reports and surveys conducted by various government, non-government and civil society bodies. There were several factors that contributed to the rapid adaptation of online shopping by population across the developed and developing world and especially in India.

Method: The current research work is based on primary and secondary data. The tools of research were a telephonic interview of a sample of Punjab’s college going youth. The students of the Science and Humanities streams of two colleges were taken up for the study randomly. Snowball sampling was done to take up influences of opining leaders who were emulated as examples by most other students.

Scope: The research would enhance the market understanding of the online shopping trends and benefit the retailers greatly. In a way the pandemic presented online shopping as a genuine step up from the traditional retail measures. It has equally boosted the small time business houses as well as large chain retailers of the world.

Results and Findings:On line shopping has presented a world-class shopping experience supported by the best shopping opportunities technology to the urban and rural youth of Punjab who are entrenched in utilizing the best post the Lockdown and the pandemic. As their expectations are growing they are including more adherents to this mode of shopping. In the case of India the on-line shopping range of consumables has grown from bare necessities to essentials and finally to luxury goods like branded clothes and gadgetry.