The Covid-19 pandemic has altered our daily lives dramatically over the past 18 months. We’ve created hacks for stopping our glasses from steaming up when we wear face masks. We’ve learned how to treat our dry, cracked hands from constant sanitising. And we’ve fought the urge of throwing our laptops across the room when our WiFi becomes ‘unstable’ during a Zoom call.
But one of the main shifts in our habits has been how we shop. With non-essential retail closing during multiple lockdowns, options were suddenly limited to where shoppers could spend their money. This sent an increasing amount of people browsing and shopping online. But as shops have re-opened, it seems as though the shift in shopping habits to online is here for the long-term.
So what does this shift in habit mean for local and independent businesses?