Will Coronavirus affect eCommerce ?
There are many global events that can have a positive impact on how eCommerce functions. Flu season can motivate people to stay indoors and order items from the internet. With the Coronavirus escalating quickly, more people are on lockdown from their normal lives. The more people are forced to stay inside or are willingly staying home to prevent getting sick, the eCommerce market will pick up.
There are so many different websites you can use when it comes to getting your groceries, ordering meal kits, buying clothing, acquiring household supplies and much more. Specific products have rapidly climbed in sales in the past couple of months. Surgical masks are almost impossible to find. Hand sanitizer and hand soap are quickly being bought up. Companies are even having a hard time keeping up with the demand for certain products.
Coronavirus
Coronavirus is a virus that was first discovered in the 1960s. Over the past 60 years, the virus has gone through a few major mutations. When this occurs, it will cause a surge in positive cases. People simply don’t have the immunity necessary to fight it off when they come into contact with it. This current version of the Coronavirus is affected by the entire population. Adults are being hit the hardest.
Elderly people, people with compromised immune systems and high-risk individuals are largely the ones that are finding this virus to be deadly. Children have tested positive all over the world, but professionals believe their young bodies are not the proper environment where this virus can thrive. Their immune systems may be in much better shape than the adults who have lost some immune function throughout their lives.
In general, the current strain of Coronavirus will produce typical cold/flu symptoms. Many people will be sick with the virus and not think anything of it. People can also carry the virus but not become symptomatic. This is what causes the spread of germs. Knowing you’ve traveled somewhere that Coronavirus was prevalent and then becoming sick is a telltale sign that you should be tested and quarantined. The rest of the population that doesn’t preventatively quarantine themselves can be a risk.
This current worldwide issue is causing many people to take precautionary steps to prevent getting sick. You’ll see more people walking around with masks on to prevent the spread of germs. Stores seem to be a bit quieter than normal as people avoid being in large groups. The Olympics is being affected, TV shows are shutting down production and entertainment companies are canceling tour dates.
The Coronavirus’ Affect on eCommerce
There are major brands in the United States that are having no problem keeping up with their customers. For example, Amazon has been able to fulfill their orders in a timely fashion as usual. This is thanks to their large size, but this is true even after an Amazon employee tested positive for Coronavirus. They have advised their employees to cancel any unnecessary travel plans for the unforeseen future.
People haven’t been swayed by this information as they continue to place the online orders that will keep them from having to go into the outside world. Some items have drastically increased in price. You used to be able to purchase surgical masks during this time of years for under $5 per pack. Currently, these masks are being sold as part of online buying for upwards of $50 per pack.
Third-party sellers are starting to suffer from the lack of product that they’re able to secure. The stock market is being very negatively affected. Certain companies are losing massive amounts of money in their stock each day. President Trump feels we will be alright in the long run when it comes to our economy, though this initial hit is affecting some people’s finances. There are other business professionals that are legitimately worried about our economy and how eCommerce will be affected over time if the Coronavirus doesn’t start to slow down a bit.
Affect in the World Market
China is largely responsible for most of the products that are made in the world. With so many people in China being under quarantine, certain products aren’t being manufactured as quickly as normal. It is predicted that there may be manufacturing plants that shut down temporarily. While the demand for products is prevalent, there isn’t anybody to make the items. The world market might see an initial increase in sales, but this may go down the longer that the Coronavirus is around. A backlog of products has already begun to accumulate.
It’s a good idea to contact manufacturers that your company may deal with. You may have been able to keep up with sales initially. There is going to be a period of reordering that could pose problems. People have already begun to hoard items in preparation for what could end up happening if the virus hits the U.S. with a vengeance. People are being urged to leave items behind for those that really need them.
We don’t yet know how this virus is going to play out. We know that it is increasing in the United States as time goes on. We are currently seeing our first initial surge. It has started to slow down a bit in other parts of the world. Healthcare professionals don’t know if the virus will be affected by the change in seasons that is quickly approaching. That is the hope, but the Coronavirus could continue throughout the rest of the year. It could progress even longer than that. It’s likely that the initial surge of eCommerce business will slow down as certain industries are affected.
Over time, there will be a need for certain businesses to pick back up with their output. The more that people are staying in their homes, there will be a real need for access to supplies. At that point in time, eCommerce would likely pick back up again.
