It has been great for us as South Africans to venture back out to the malls and business parks we were accustomed to frequenting pre the Corona Virus Epidemic.

Sure, it is not the same just yet, but it beats the strict regulations imposed on us during level 5 and even level 4.Unfortunately, for better or for worse, no industry has gone untouched by COVID-19 and we have seen many businesses close and 1000s of jobs lost.

Retail sales this week have seen a global decline of 5.7%, however online purchases continue to grow rapidly and are up by almost 76% year on year (source -RoiRevolution)

Ecomm giants Amazon reported sales of $75.5 billion in the first quarter, up from $59.7 billion the same quarter a year ago.

So, with the ability to visit malls and stores again, why do we still have this rapid online growth?

In my opinion there are a couple of reasons.

Firstly, we are still too afraid. Corona is at its peak in South Africa, as anticipated, and many are still choosing to stay at home and shop from their favourite websites.

Another reason is that the Covid-19 Pandemic has forced many South Africans to shop online for the first time, creating a wave of NEW shoppers who have found that online shopping is, well, pretty damn simple and the ‘way of the future’.

Another big reason (apart from the pure convivence of shopping online,) is the sheer volume of selection and deals out there to choose from. We are spoilt for choice and are regularly enticed into new online stores with many free added benefits, like door to door shipping and discount vouchers for 1st time purchases.

Many big-name brands and businesses have followed suit and have in turn either opened their own online store or made use of some of South Africa’s 3rd party Marketplaces to ensure their piece of the ‘ecomm pie’.

But all said and done, why not shop online? It’s safe, simple, convenient and all the information we need to make an informed purchased can be done at the touch of key or a swipe of the phone.

So, as we wait with bated breath to hear what the President has to say and enjoy the return of our old friends at Eskom, make sure not to be left in the dark and check out this week’s level 3 must haves:

Stay Safe, Stay Connected