Selling online: how COVID changed everything

By the second half of 2020, it was understood that we were all going to be stuck in “pandemic mode” for quite some time.

It was hard to watch retail businesses around us struggle, who solely relied on in-store sales. This had worked for them for many years. Even with the shift towards online shopping, they were still making sales so didn’t see the need to sell online. That was, until COVID locked us all into our homes and we were left to ordering on our screens.

We began to have a lot of requests and clients seeking advice on how to sell online. And for some, it was an easy transition – they just had to add a little more information to their websites. However, for some it was a huge transition that took many months of planning: getting their inventory into a digital system, choosing a payment gateway, taking photos of their products, writing descriptions, sourcing suitable shipping or courier options – it was a big task.

However, out of that horrible time of lockdown, we have seen many businesses shine. They have evolved and grown in the process. To now be able to sell online and in-store, to offer different ways of payment, to be found in more places than just a bricks and mortar store. Sometimes adversity has positive outcomes, even if it’s hell to get there.

We think the pandemic has changed how we shop forever. Whether it’s a positive move, only time will tell. But we think there’s a lot of clever innovation and reimagining of businesses that has come from this, which is exciting to watch.