There is no denying the pandemic’s impact on e-commerce adoption, but after living with COVID-19 for more than a year, brands must recognise that not all online shopping results in an electronic purchase. That is why omnichannel strategies cannot be solely focused on the point of purchase. Many people found the transition easier because India was already on the path to digitization.

In the retail sector, most companies have already gone through a digitization process, which has undoubtedly allowed them to survive despite the current crisis. But, in terms of the consumer, what has the coronavirus caused or taught us?

This pandemic has altered our daily lives and, as a result, our purchasing and decision-making habits. Buying habits have shifted to the point where we now have a new consumer profile that not only buys more online, as has been the case for years but also questions their visits to stores unless they have a compelling reason. As long as the virus is present and there is no vaccine, visiting a physical store necessitates a number of precautions and involves some risks, so many people prefer to buy online and have orders delivered to their homes.

Against this backdrop, businesses must rethink and renew their business strategies based on consumer preferences. Given that the user will go through various channels and forms of communication (online store, point of sale, email, etc.) during the purchase process, omnichannel is critical for brands and providing the best experience for clients.

The goal now is to take it to the next level by implementing an omnichannel strategy, improving engagement and security, and employing more artificial intelligence (AI) to predict customer behaviour.

Make better use of digital technology.

When it comes to adjusting our pre-COVID-19 marketing strategies to be relevant today, the most obvious place to start is with digital. While digital channels have been increasing in importance for some time, recent changes in interaction have catapulted digital to the front of the queue for consideration in any strategy.

At The Social Lions, a digital marketing agency in Mumbai, we incorporate different channels and marketing tactics to build your brand, as need be.