One in ten online retailers sees its existence threatened

At the beginning of the Corona crisis, it seemed that online stores would be able to expand their business. But shortly afterwards it became clear that Internet retailers were also feeling the effects of the pandemic strongly. One in ten store operators currently even sees their existence at risk (11 percent). How did this fear come about? Almost half of the stores are currently registering fewer orders (45 percent) and therefore also lower sales. In addition, problems in cooperation with suppliers and partners are making work more difficult for 43 percent of online retailers.

Appropriate measures implemented

To counteract this development, many online stores have reacted. The topics that now appeal to and move their customers are different than they were just a few months ago. As a result, half (50 percent) have changed their marketing and advertising measures and adapted them to the situation. The needs and demand of online shoppers have also changed. To respond to this, about the same number have adjusted their product offering (47 percent). To create an additional incentive to buy, 40 percent of store operators have highlighted their delivery times. With waiting times of up to six weeks, fast availability can be decisive for the purchase decision.

Willingness to cooperate

Despite all the problems and challenges that online retailers have to overcome themselves, over half of them would be willing to cooperate with stationary retailers (56 percent). However, the majority of them do not know what such cooperation might look like (56 percent). One possibility is that unemployed employees from bricks-and-mortar retail could help out in stores with a sharp rise in demand. This would be supported by 41 percent of store operators.

How online stores will get through the crisis in the future can hardly be estimated so far. It is to be hoped that the measures will help smaller stores to continue to exist.