The exponential growth of E-commerce activity in Ireland during the coronavirus pandemic is likely to become the ‘new norm’, even beyond the crisis. The transformed consumer landscape may have accelerated a process that was occurring at a much more glacial pace prior to Covid-19. Huge numbers of people that previously avoided or only dabbled in online shopping in the past are now buying online - an additional 26,000 retired households ordered an online delivery within a 12-week period, with over-65s spending an extra €8.9 million online. A recent survey revealed that online grocery sales grew by 76% compared to last ...

A radical shift in buyer behaviours due to Covid-19 will see a forever changed consumer landscape. As of May, 2020, approximately 62% of UK shoppers said that due to the coronavirus outbreak, they reduced shopping in physical stores. These shoppers turned totechnology to adapt their shopping method in a socially distanced world, bridging the gap between the physical and virtual shopping worlds. If your customers can't come to you, you can use Mercury Orders online ordering software to take your product and services to them. What is the future of shopping? In-store retail experiences are evolving – and will continue ...

Home delivery platform free to retailers to help protect staff and shoppers Irish technology company Grofuse is offering free online shopping software to retailers to help safeguard the health of customers, staff and businesses during the Covid-19 crisis. Mercury Order Retail was created by the Derry-based digital growth agency in an effort to promote social distancing and throw a lifeline to retail businesses amid the coronavirus chaos. Over the past year, the company has developed a state-of-the-art online ordering platform for wholesalers supplying the catering industry, a sector which has been decimated by the crisis. However, the Grofuse team responded ...

As many businesses scramble to adapt to online selling in an effort to quickly recoup their coronavirus losses, the government has announced an ‘Online Retail Scheme’. This enables Irish retailers to enhance and improve their digital capability while developing a more competitive online presence. Successful applicants will be awarded funding of up to 80% of the project eligible costs, with a maximum grant of €40,000. This scheme will provide Irish retailers with additional resources to respond and adapt their business model to the current and upcoming challenges while increasing their customer base to build a more resilient business in the ...

Food wholesalers are pivoting to direct-to-consumer retail in the coronavirus crisis and this is seeing a surge in the number of ‘dark stores’. Food wholesalers in particular are taking this path to help safeguard their futures amid the dramatic decline in sales given the sudden shutdown of the hospitality industry. As more and more customers turn to online grocery shopping and delivery due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many wholesalers - and some retailers which have closed as they are deemed non-essential - are turning their brick and mortar locations into so-called ‘dark stores’ in order to keep up with demand. ...