There is no industry that is unaffected by the COVID pandemic and retail is no exception. While sales in brick-and-mortar stores have nosedived, sales from online channels have shown significant growth. One of the articles from Digital Commerce 360 indicates Amazon sales in the US alone grew 36% in the first 6 months of 2020 vs. the same period in 2019. This ratio for international sales is up as well by 28%. And similar growth is reported by other online retailers as well.

While growth from eCommerce channels is encouraging, the big question is if this rate of growth can be sustained for quarters to come, or would it go back to the buying patterns of pre-COVID days? Would consumers prefer to go back to nearby stores for their shopping or would expect retailers to be present where consumers are?