The “Pandemic Effect” on e-Commerce

The COVID-19 pandemic has led us to new social behavior. To contain the virus, governments have imposed social distancing and confinement. The fear of contamination and the inability to go out to buy essential and non-essential goods intensified the perceived threats associated with offline channels, as well as the perceived benefits and relative attractiveness of digital ones. This dynamic has shifted the market towards online platforms. This paper intended to identify new behavior patterns in online shopping as we face an unprecedented scenario. We conducted exploratory interviews with 18 people and constructed an online questionnaire that had 327 respondents. Our findings reinforce the relationship between a flawless consumer journey (from pre- to post-sales) and a positive shopping experience.