It is safe to say that online shopping changed the way we shop. The level of convenience, savings and extensive range of products just floored everyone. You had complete control over your purchase, along with options that allowed you to try and return things.
Indeed, the consumer was the king and online shopping, his kingdom.
But every kingdom has its share of problems.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was our kingdom’s problem.
The pandemic resulted in a series of lockdowns, which are now being lifted. Unlock 1.0 was initiated in an attempt to save the dying economy, but things look a little bleak.
Luckily, e-commerce websites were allowed to deliver non-essential goods in red zones as well. After the news, there was a surge in online orders as India prepared to stay home in case the situation worsens.
People were kept away from non-essential items for such a long time that as soon as the window opened, everyone jumped at it. We could see the revenge shopping phenomenon quite clearly here.
But but but, how could one expect that things would remain unchanged?
The pandemic brought in a host of changes, and we could see them being applied here. Contactless delivery, social distancing and continuous sanitisation were now a part of the online shopping ritual.
With these preventive measures, the e-commerce industry also faced some problems.
Coronavirus Transmitting Via Packages:
No health organization has released a clear set of guidelines when it comes to how much time the virus can stay on packages. The data is released is confusing, and changes with different studies.
A lot of precaution is taken while transporting the packages, but still, one can’t be fully sure.
Also Read: Will Lockdown Restrictions Give Rise To The Trend Of Revenge Shopping In Indians?
Delivery Cancellations:
YouTuber Taneja Gaurav aka Flying Beast, said in his recent vlog that his Amazon order was cancelled on the day of delivery. According to him, many people seem to be facing this problem. This does not come as a surprise, considering the difficulties companies are facing.
The issue is evident mostly in red zones, or in cities with a lot of containment zones.
Therefore, if you live in a red zone, it is advisable to not purchase non-essentials items unless necessary.
Sellers And Their Issues:
Amazon India Sellers Facebook page is filled with complaints. The sellers have been posting about the lack of payments for the last two weeks.
The sellers’ share now comes after a product is delivered, and not after the shipment, which creates a huge hurdle. The majority of the deliveries are delayed because of the COVID-19 restrictions. This results in sellers shipping out products without any payment.
The company has changed its policy to enable on-demand payment instead of a fixed weekly payment cycle.
Another major problem faced by sellers on Flipkart and Amazon was unnotified delisting of their products. However, the companies have acknowledged this and will work to fix the issue soon. Needless to say, all of this is caused by Unlock 1.0, and changing restrictions.
Without online retailers, things would have been very different during the COVID-19 lockdown. People would get out more, resulting in a lack of social distancing. Along with stabilizing the economy, they also ensured that their employees do not suffer financially.
However, coronavirus has caused a major revolution in online shopping. A revolution that focuses mainly on better hygiene. We all hope that this change is here to stay.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Economic Times, Moneycontrol, India TV
Find the Blogger: @ShreyashDhumal3
This post is tagged under: online shopping, ecommerce, sites, delivery, delayed, sanitisation, virus, coronavirus, covid 19, stay on packets, packages, packing, danger, problems, faced by shoppers, faced by sellers, flipkart, amazon, unlock 1.0, lockdown
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