Survey: COVID-19 will permanently shift online shopping habits

Curbside pickup is one omnichannel shopping service that will remain popular after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

According to a new consumer survey from distributed commerce network CommerceHub, 59% of respondents said they are more likely to use curbside pickup following the coronavirus outbreak. This figure increased to 75% among respondents who subscribe to multiple delivery services (including Amazon Prime). 

Home delivery also stands to gain popularity in the post-pandemic retail landscape. Sixty-five percent of respondents say home delivery is the safest option during the crisis, and 69% will be more willing to subscribe to a delivery service following the pandemic. 

In addition, 68% of respondents are likely to subscribe to a grocery delivery service after COVID-19. Breaking interest in delivery down by age, the survey found that 49% of respondents over 50 who did not shop online said they are likely to subscribe to a delivery service post-pandemic. Twenty-six percent of respondents age 30-39 are more willing to try curbside pickup or delivery subscriptions following COVID-19. However, 59% of respondents aged 70-plus said they would still prefer to shop in-store once the crisis is over. 

The survey also asked some specific questions of Amazon Prime subscribers. Eighty percent say that expected or promised delivery date has impacted their purchase decisions for essential items. The same percentage indicated items they were looking to purchase online have been out of stock. More than one-third (35%) of Prime subscribers said their longest delivery delays were a week or more.

Other notable findings include:
•    60% of respondents said more than three days was the longest delay in receiving items purchased online. 

•    75% of respondents have searched for an item online and found it out of stock.

•    Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 43% of respondents preferred to shop online for essential items.

CommerceHub surveyed consumers of various age groups across the U.S. to gauge consumer confidence in the current supply chain landscape (amidst COVID-19 disruptions) and their changing shopping habits. Over 1,500 respondents participated in this survey over the course of two days.