Online Shopping is on the Rise, But What About Our Local Retailers?
By Mary Claire Warren and Logan E. Gray
With the outbreak of COVID-19, brick-and-mortar stores have had to temporarily close off their shops to the public, creating a spike in online shopping. This has stemmed a new necessity for retailers to heavily rely on online sales to make up for potential lost revenue. Online shopping is convenient and a life saver for people whose health is at high risk, but this surge in online shopping has called into question the need for real-life storefronts.
Many retail shops were forced to shut down during the peak of COVID19, forcing many small businesses to create or amp up their virtual storefronts. The problem that several local boutiques have faced is lack of visibility. Corporate giants such as Amazon, Nordstrom, and H&M have endless resources to advertise and accommodate online customers. For local stores, however, it isn’t as simple. Boutiques are left to rely on cheaper marketing strategies
such as using Instagram or Facebook to reach customers.
Kylee Johnson, the manager at Columbia’s local boutique My-Kim Collection, says that COVID-19 has stunted business. According to Johnson, sales were not great compared to how well the store usually does when it’s operating under normal circumstances. However, ramping up My-Kim’s online store during the pandemic has kept the business afloat, especially with facemask sales. Johnson added that, “I think there’s going to be a lot more online shopping because it’s easy. But people come here for unique pieces and customer service experience.”
Although many smaller businesses do seem to struggle with solid online stores, some boutiques have a bit more experience. Vestique, located in Five Points, started out as an online business before the creation of its physical stores. Co-owner Caroline Dunham says that Vestique started online ten years ago and are highly competitive with other online retailers with prices, community presence and fast shipping. According to Dunham, online revenue has steadily risen since the start of COVID-19. Dunham shared advice for her fellow local business owners; “I opened this business with my best friend, and we just worked our booties off, and did what we did best- which is buy really cute clothes for good prices. Just keep doing what you’re doing and what you do best.”
One explanation for the increase in online shopping during the pandemic could be as simple as stress-buying or shopping out of boredom. University of South Carolina student Maggie Fletcher said, “I think a lot of people dealt with those first few weeks of the quarantine by spending a lot of money and buying a ton of stuff. Buying online is more fun and quicker too- so it’s easy to spend a lot in a short amount of time.”
A second theory could be that people are spending extra time online and are being exposed to more digital ads and discounts. Another student, Audrey Norton, says, “Since I’m spending all my time on the Internet browsing or doing online class work, ads are getting to me way more than they usually would. I see something I like in a pop-up ad, and it sparks an idea or interest in the product.”
Many shoppers and retailers believe that online shopping is here to stay and will become the new normal even after this pandemic ends. Online shopping is beneficial, but how will it affect small businesses in our local economies? Many local boutiques do not have a strong online presence compared to clothing giants Like Zaful, H&M and Amazon. To make sure that these retailers survive, it is more important now than ever to support local boutiques.
Comments