Ecommerce trends during Covid19

There is no doubt that Coronavirus has people concerned about the potential impact on the economy. But is it as catastrophic as we think?

Whilst it may seem like the economy right now is a muddy old field, there are green shoots fighting through for certain products that are in high demand.

If it is safe and possible for you to adjust your business model, then you can soar during this tough time. Here at Platform81, we are always on top of the latest trends and so we’ve gathered four of the biggest ecommerce trends to appear since lockdown began.

Cleaning Products

Mid to the end of March, we saw a huge increase in demand for cleaning products. From Mrs Hinch favourite Zoflora to packs of antibacterial wipes, sales went through the roof. One of our clients who is a wholesaler, saw a 500% month on month, and a 450% year on year increase in revenue and their top ten dominated by these cleaning products.

Activities for kids

As schools and nurseries have closed, many parents are turning to home schooling, or activities for their mini humans. Especially when the nice weather hit in April, demand for outdoor activities went through the roof (and out into the gardens themselves, it seems). One client of ours saw a 134% increase in revenue for watering cans and other gardening tools, and also paddling pool sales rocketed.

As soon as lockdown was confirmed, you can literally see the panic for parents on Google Trends, myself included, as we wanted to find a way to keep our little ones entertained (that other cheeky little peak earlier on was February half term).

Cake deliveries

Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen businesses think outside of the (cake) box. Baker Candy’s Cupcakes have been in the news because she adapted her business by making her website ecommerce, and delivering cake in boxes that were easy for the postman to just pop through letter boxes, and her revenue increased 7 fold.

Card deliveries

At first, we saw top card delivery websites have to pull back their offering when the pandemic first hit, but they soon adapted for the current climate with pushing their ecard products. Genius! Some even had a 1p card delivery so you can send some support to key worker loved one. Talk about adjusting their business to suit the current climate and supporting our invaluable key workers!

During these unprecedented times, innovation and adaptability are more important than ever. We understand it is far from easy, so here at Platform81, we are here to support you and your business during this challenging time, from PPC audits, to website reviews. We can even help you understand how to adapt your business during this trying time.