Will Retail Bounce Back As The Most Preferred Mode Of Shopping?

Consumers are now beginning to feel the brunt of online fatigue’ The endless scroll and blue-screen exposure from running business meetings to shopping online are taking a real toll

- Richa Bhagwat

Indian consumers have forever relied on their corner shops and neighbourhood stores to provide for most of their needs. These shopkeepers have deep insights into their shoppers, know them, know what they want and what's more they even make it available if it isn't available immediately.

The sudden onslaught of a global pandemic made India as the third-largest online shopper base in the world. So, is this the beginning of the end for physical retail? Hold that epitaph, all is not lost yet. There are some interesting behavioral reasons why physical retail may never go out of fashion and demand.

Consumers are now beginning to feel the brunt of 'online fatigue'. The endless scroll and blue-screen exposure from running business meetings to shopping online are taking a real toll. Consumers now look forward to getting out there, into the physical world. This includes shopping.

Opportunities: Revenge Shopping

Covid lockdowns meant there was very little opportunity to spend. This has resulted in the twin effects of pent-up demand and spare cash. The result? 'Revenge shopping', as was seen in the festive season that went by.

The mode of shopping a customer decides to favor, is the function of how easy it is to choose and fulfill that choice. As a species, we loathe anything that requires additional effort. Our brains are wired that way; we decode any additional effort as pain. Why should the effort in shopping be any different? Any barrier that keeps us from achieving our desired outcomes is unwelcome.