Reality as we know it has been interrupted. Our entire lives have been put on hold. And it’s not a great feeling. How has this impacted you? While you’re working from home, carve out a quick minute to answer this Multichannel Merchant survey: https://bit.ly/341qzM4 and share the effect COVID-19 has had on your business.
While ecommerce was initially thought to be a boon during the coronavirus crisis, with stores and malls in lockdown, execution is proving to be anything but as a growing chorus of drivers and facility associates complain about the danger of exposure. Workers at Amazon, Instacart and Whole Foods staged protest walkouts.
If nothing else, bad actors perpetrating ecommerce transaction fraud are clever opportunists, and a crisis like the ongoing coronavirus outbreak is proving a perfect opportunity for them to prey upon unsuspecting sellers and consumers, experts agree. The rise of contactless deliveries and working from home are among the entry points.
Similar to XPO Logistics’ decision to postpone its exploration of divesting assets due to current market uncertainty caused by coronavirus, a bankruptcy court judge has granted a 45-day stay on the Chapter 11 filing of sporting goods retailer Modell’s due to the ongoing crisis and its impact on closing sales.
A new consumer survey from Coresight Research highlighted a number of concerns related to the worsening coronavirus outbreak, with job losses already being reported and fear of lost income gripping one-third of respondents.
The coronavirus outbreak is continuing to wreak havoc on retail, with the impact going beyond store shutdowns to online business being shuttered. Companies that closed their ecommerce operations in recent days include fashion brands Reformation, Marysia and The Frankie Shop, and retailers TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods.
Ulta Beauty saw ecommerce sales increase 20% to 30% during fiscal 2019 ending Feb. 1, 2020, aided by a store pickup rollout chain-wide, while also taking steps in store to address the growing coronavirus threat. Ulta also reduced hours of operation, is temporary closing some stores and discontinuing hair services in stores.
Competing with Amazon, addressing privacy issues linked to collection of data by third-party technologies and improving site speed to boost sales are top priorities identified in a new study from ecommerce platform provider Yottaa. The report suggests Prime-style free same-day shipping will become widespread among brands in 2020.
After spending years trying to shed its “coat factory” branding – think Boston Market on the fast casual side – Burlington Stores is shedding something else: ecommerce. The CEO said ecommerce represents just 0.5% of total sales and doesn’t leverage the company’s “treasure hunt” draw for shoppers, giving stores a huge advantage.
The juxtaposition of “fast and frictionless yet safe” checkout puts a large burden on retailers who may be tempted to add extra steps to increase security. While there are many ways to meet these growing customer expectations, the best approach is to prioritize the user experience. Here are 4 trends to watch for in 2020 and beyond.