To try on or send back? Shopping in post-pandemic times : Exploratory study of pandemic effects on consumer behaviour

As the pandemic of COVID-19 is still affecting peoples’ lives in various ways, it is not surprising that it affects consumer behaviour as well. This paper focuses on the changes in consumer behaviour, more specifically on the changes in consumer shopping channel preferences due to the pandemic. Furthermore, it was of interest whether these changes are likely to be long-term, and influence consumer shopping behaviour in the corona-free future. To answer the research question: “How did the pandemic affect consumers’ preferred shopping channels, and are those changes long-term?” a qualitative study was conducted. The study consisted of ten interviews, five of which were with consumers who spent most of the pandemic in Sweden, and five with respondents who spent most of the pandemic in Slovakia. This way, the study compares the responses and thus changes in consumer shopping behaviour and channel preferences of consumers who have experienced different levels of restrictions and recommendations as a response to the pandemic. Indeed, Slovakia’s response to the corona pandemic was much more severe and included much more, longer-lasting, restrictions affecting/restricting consumer shopping. The study showed that despite the countries adopting very different responses to the pandemic, the consumers changed their shopping behaviour in a rather similar way. Most of the respondents stated that they started shopping less due to the pandemic and that they shopped more online. The main reasons for these developments were (1) reduced need for new clothing during the corona pandemic, (2) stores being closed, and/or (3) consumers trying to reduce their contact with others and keep their distance. However, when asked whether these changes in their behaviour are going to persist into the far future, the responses differed. A portion of respondents stated they will continue to shop online more than prior to the pandemic, while still shopping in traditional, offline, stores as well. Some other respondents, however, stated that they will return to in-store shopping as soon as possible. From these findings, it is clear that shopping for clothes via offline channels will still be important and preferred by many, despite the rise of technologies and online shopping possibilities. The study contributes to the literature on the corona pandemic and its effects on consumer behaviour, the field of consumer behaviour in general, consumer shopping channel preferences, channel switching intentions, omnichannel literature, and the online shopping literature