The global events of the early 2020s significantly affected businesses and services across the globe, and eCommerce was no exception. Online trading observed a drastic surge in consumption, and made e-merchants not only adapt to the turbulent situation but to identify new opportunities for their online business.
How Is US eCommerce Reacting to the Pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic caused considerable changes in US online commerce over a short period. When it started spreading, it primarily affected brick-and-mortar businesses.
- At the onset of the pandemic, major retailers across the country temporarily shut down their stores (Apple, Adidas, Columbia, Gap, H&M, Lego, Macy’s, Nike, Sephora, Tiffany, etc.).
When the coronavirus pandemic devastated in-store traffic, online commerce experienced a surge in demand, and the tendency grew with each passing day.
Though online shopping has been rapidly developing over the last years, the pandemic outbreak forced consumers to buy online even more. According to a study from Adobe Analytics, online trading grew significantly faster, driven primarily by online grocery shopping. Besides, concerns about food delivery due to possible food contamination spurred a drastic increase in contactless delivery services.
- Companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks have implemented contactless delivery services that limit human-to-human contact.
With thousands of restaurants, bars, theaters, and gyms throughout the United States shutting down at the time, let’s observe what Americans were buying first of all. The top 5 main categories are illustrated at the graphic below (source - Sellics):
With all that being said, no one truly knew how long the pandemic would last and what economic damage it would bring. A survey of 300+ retailers conducted by Digital Commerce 360 at the onset of the pandemic revealed a lot of confusion and uncertainty among online entrepreneurs. The majority of respondents expected their online sales to decline, while some of them (38%) still hoped that the sales would jump because of the virus.
Turning Challenges Into Opportunities
As the coronavirus outbreak spread globally, more and more customers turned to online stores to get the items they need, a trend that has had a lasting impact on consumer behavior. Therefore, online businesses had to adapt to that unprecedented situation and think about the future to survive.
According to Forbes, online shopping saw dramatic spikes in sales driven not only by those who had already been buying online but also by the new customers trying to shop online for the first time. Furthermore, consumers who purchased online during that period demonstrated a lasting shift in buying patterns. In other words, clients often continued with the new purchasing processes even after the initial crisis subsided.
With that in mind, that period proved to be an opportune time for e-merchants to catch the possibility and adapt their online stores to the changing needs of consumers.
How to Prepare an Online Store for the Surge?
As consumer behavior changes and results in more and more customers shopping online, so has the online store become flexible enough to meet the evolving customers’ needs. In times of constant change and uncertainty, it is vital to get your online store equipped not to miss out on sales, damage your reputation, or encounter some other issues. Here is what you can do right now to mitigate the impact of unexpected surges on your online business:
Notify Customers
First of all, it is recommended to communicate with your clients about any changes so that they are aware that you have the situation under control. Inform them that due to the circumstances, there may occur supply chain issues, certain products can be out of stock for a while, that shipments can take longer than usual to reach their destinations, or some of your products are selling out more quickly.
Contact Hosting Provider
It is also a good idea to contact your hosting provider and inform them of the situation. This will allow them to monitor your website and, if required - stop it from going down. If possible, you can ask them to scale up your hosting package for a short period to help your store stay online.
Get Inventory Organized
When adapting an online store to this unprecedented situation, don’t forget to prepare your inventory. Complete an inventory analysis and make sure you have enough space to store an extra amount of items you’re ordering in this tough time. Besides, take a look at your shopping cart inventory settings and consider whether you want to display at the website the number of items that are left in stock, if you want them to be able to purchase products that are back-ordered, etc.
Monitor Store Performance
In such turbulent times, it is of critical importance to regularly monitor your online store in terms of traffic volumes, site speed, and other metrics. By checking the performance and speed of your store and making the necessary changes when needed, you’ll be better equipped to handle a wave of traffic. In case you see that your shopping cart isn’t able to meet the evolving needs of this period - consider switching to another one with no regrets.
Empower your Business with the Right Shopping Cart
The key to dealing with such increased traffic is the shopping cart that perfectly matches specific business needs. If your eCommerce solution has all the required functionality to handle a large amount of traffic and sales, it is possible even to benefit from the sharp increase in-store traffic and use it to lift your brand to the next level. But in case the shopping cart lacks the needed functionality and the store can’t handle the surge of sales - it’s time to consider switching to another one.
How to Switch Across eCommerce Solutions Fast
eCommerce replatforming is often treated as quite a challenging and resource-consuming task that most store owners try to avoid. However, with the advent of various shopping cart migration tools, eCommerce migration has stopped being something that online-merchants tend to avoid. These days, it’s a common procedure for online entrepreneurs if equipped with the right tools.
Among dozens of online converters that are currently floating around the web, Cart2Cart takes its respectful place being one of the oldest and most advanced migration services. The whole idea of Cart2Cart service is to give non-technical store owners a chance to switch across various shopping carts by themselves. Hence, their interface and transferring procedure are intuitive and straightforward. Our data migration service packages can also simplify the process.
Note: The migration procedure with Cart2Cart will not affect the performance of your current store in any way so that it will be 100% available for the customer.
Final Words
The bottom line is that there’s no other way but to adapt to changing circumstances. To ensure your online businesses not only survive but thrive, take time to transform the store to better match new realities. By following the above-mentioned piece of advice, you’ll be able to successfully lead your online business through periods of high demand and continue serving your customers the best you can.
Please, do not hesitate to share in the comments section your tips, tricks and stories about how you manage to lead your online business through a crisis.
Monthly Update – September 2025
As we advance into September 2025, the eCommerce sector continues its dynamic evolution, heavily influenced by lessons learned during periods of rapid change. A significant trend to watch is the deep integration of Artificial Intelligence across all facets of online retail. AI-driven personalization is no longer a luxury but a standard expectation, with algorithms precisely tailoring product recommendations, search results, and even promotional offers based on individual shopper behavior. Furthermore, the emphasis on supply chain resilience and transparency has become paramount. Merchants are investing in robust, cloud-based inventory management systems and exploring localized fulfillment options to mitigate future disruptions, ensuring products reach customers reliably and quickly. The agility to adapt to these technological advancements and consumer demands, from optimizing site performance to embracing sustainable practices, is what truly sets successful online businesses apart.
To capitalize on these trends, consider reviewing your current platform's capabilities to support advanced AI integrations and scalable logistics. Proactive re-platforming or optimization can significantly enhance your store’s responsiveness to market shifts. For more details, explore our FAQ section or schedule a call with a migration expert.
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