As millions of Americans hunkered down in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, scores of merchants were forced to close their doors. Yet in the midst of the quarantine, many retailers were able to open a virtual window ── with online sales skyrocketing in March. With much of the retail industry now relying on electronic shopping carts and payment options as their sole sales method, the move underscores the unprecedented need for clean, continuous power within the sector. Consider the numbers:
- Overall, online shopping spiked 25 percent across the country, according to an analysis by Adobe Analytics. The same firm noted that a newer trend — buy online, pick up in store — jumped 62 percent between Feb. 24 and March 21 as consumers began practicing social distancing.
- Online grocery shopping experienced more than a 100 percent boost in daily sales. Specifically, online orders for non-perishable canned and shelf-stable goods increased 87 percent.
- With many merchants closing stores, some retailers turned to a curbside pickup option. Meanwhile, some pharmacies invited consumers to drive-through shop ── allowing customer to order off a menu of available items in the pharmacy’s drive-through line without ever leaving their vehicles.
- Online retailers attempted to fulfill product needs where brick-and-mortar shelves were empty. For instance, online sales for hand sanitizers, masks, gloves and anti-bacterial sprays rose 807 percent. Meanwhile, toilet paper sales rose by 231 percent, while sales of cold medicines and pain relievers were up 217 percent.
- While brick-and-mortar stores had no choice but to lay off or furlough employees ─ some 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment the last week of March ─ E-commerce operators welcomed new associates. Amazon hired 80,000 workers to meet the soaring demand of online sales, while Walmart announced plans to hire 150,000 new employees.
As modern technology fashions a new shopping experience, fresh challenges are being rung up for the retail industry. As retailers continue to increase their reliance on access to the network for activities ranging from targeted customers marketing to inventory management to transaction processing, and now more than ever, the increased demand for electronic shopping, the need for continuous, clean power remains paramount.
