COVID-19 Insights

COVID-19 eCommerce Insights

Read below for insights we've gathered about how COVID-19 is impacting e-commerce and strategies for advertisers to navigate these challenging times.

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Data We Examine

We analyze data points and trends beginning Feb. 1 to understand how norms in consumer behavior shifted as COVID-19 impacted most markets and stay-at-home orders went into effect. Connexity performance marketing network data and other trusted sources of search and market research are used where available.

Google Shopping Search Trends

Consumer Sentiment Market Research

Connexity Network Traffic and Purchase Metrics

Shopping Up for At-Home Activity Products

While e-commerce activity for essentials increased significantly, Connexity also observed an inflection point in mid-March for shopping activity in some non-essential products for at-home activities. Many categories had sharp spikes, but followed by a higher sustained baseline thereafter.

+500% avg. daily increase for fitness equipment

+220% avg. daily increase for toys & games

+185% avg. daily increase for video games & consoles

Consumer Sentiment

Even while consumers may be shopping and spending less, they are open to advertising and want to hear from brands about what they’re doing and offering, especially brands they know and trust. Consumers also seem to indicate an appetite for continued online shopping and not only in essential product categories.

73% – Will further increase e-commerce shopping

75% – Brands should tell us how they’re helping

65% – More likely to buy personal care items online

Strategy: Shifting Priorities

As consumer behavior changed, a top home & décor retailer needed to maintain revenue while decreasing cost of sale. Connexity quickly shifted category spend to meet their needs.

By shifting priorities to increase product offers for in-demand categories and by optimizing spend and offer price, cost-of-sale (COS) was decreased. The retailer is maintaining performance even while selling in what would normally be lower priority categories.

Strategy: Scaling Traffic

Strategically scaling ad traffic helped a pet supply retailer leverage the mass migration to online shopping as a driver of new customer acquisition.

New customer acquisition is an important KPI for any retailer. Quickly scaling ad traffic at the right time enabled Connexity to help the retailer seize the opportunity. The result was a significant increase in new customers all while decreasing the average cost of a new customer.

Strategy: Leaning In

While online attention shifted to essential grocery and delivery services, a ready-to-ship specialty food provider had significant gains by increasing ad spend and visibility. Even during difficult times, increasing advertising and visibility paid off for this retailer.

+459% in Gross Sales

+279% Conversion Rate Increase

+23% in Average Order Value

Advertisers Should…

Discover recommendations for advertisers from the data and case studies in our latest report

Remain in the Game

Brands must maintain a presence.

Prepare for Recovery

Set yourself up for tomorrow’s opportunities

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Be Tactically Nimble

Align operations to today’s demands