Online Shoppers Don't Always Care About Faster Delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we shop. Soon after the onset of the global pandemic, retailers reported a rapid shift from in-store to online purchases. Online buying accounted for 18% of worldwide retail sales in 2020, up from about half that in 2018. Grocery shoppers stampeded to the web: As of May 2020, 41% of US online grocery shoppers were first-time users of such services. The expectation is that the online shift will persist well beyond the pandemic across most retail subsectors. Here, Amorim and Dehoratius discuss the preferences of customers and offer recommendations for those who are in charge of designing their business's omnichannel strategy.