Online Grocery Shopping in India: A Review of Consumer Behavior from the Pre-Pandemic to Post-Covid Era

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic functions as a major situational element that generated transformative changes in customer conduct across multiple industries, with pronounced effects on Internet-based food shopping behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as the primary focus for this study, which investigates its effects on Indian consumers' online grocery shopping perceptions and purchase trends across different pandemic periods. The report investigates the dual short-term and enduring outcomes that have affected grocery retail markets resulting from these behavioral modifications.

Originality

This research is unique in its comprehensive examination of the evolution of consumer behavior towards online grocery shopping across three critical phases: pre-COVID, during-COVID, and post-COVID. Studying these periods has enabled researchers to create a theoretical framework which explains factors affecting online grocery buying decisions. The research investigates India's recent growth of permanent digital grocery adoption caused by the pandemic while studying consumer behavior changes since 2019.

Findings & Practical Implications

The pandemic-induced transformation of the grocery retail sector shows significant impacts on consumer attitudes and shopping patterns according to the research. People show a new preference for online shopping attributed to perceived better convenience and safety along with efficiency benefits. Despite increased buyer adoption of e-groceries the acceptance rates remain lower than other electronic commerce market segments including fashion and electronics. Perceived trust along with risk level and use value and usability assessment determine how willing people are to shop for groceries online according to recent studies. The research provides tangible directives to both established retailers and e-grocery startup companies about increasing consumer trust and interaction levels after the pandemic ends.

Social Implications

The study addresses the broader social implications of the shift to online grocery shopping, particularly in the context of public health and safety during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research also considers whether these changes in consumer behavior will be sustained in the long term or if there will be a reversion to offline grocery shopping practices. Understanding these shifts is essential for policymakers and businesses to adapt to the evolving needs and preferences of consumers in a post-pandemic world.