E-commerce is the smartest key for any retailer operating offline only, or who’s aiming to expand sales with new available methods that are more cost-effective, and more specific in targeting rather than currently used methods. In addition, it enables them to cross borders, by various digital tools as it is the most effective when it comes to marketing and selling.

This article documents 2020 e-commerce trends during the COVID-19 crisis. The figures and examples below refer to conditions observed at that time and are retained as historical context rather than current market benchmarks.

COVID-19 Crisis Impact on Consumer Buying:

Buying through e-commerce websites during the COVID-19 crisis became a more common part of consumer demand as social distancing and lockdowns pushed more shoppers toward online channels.

It’s preferable that retailers track their consumers’ behavior through categories they offer and the industry they share with their competitors rather than the standalone competition by-products and relevant ones only.

Since the beginning of the CORONA virus in the first quarter of 2020, health products were not the only category that increased in online interest. Search data at the time showed strong spikes across categories such as books and literature, hobbies and leisure, and people and society (SEMrush).

Search interest increased sharply across several of these categories during the first quarter of 2020.

As an example of the spike in online activity, 2020 retail data showed that e-commerce sales accelerated rapidly and that traditional chain stores saw first-time buyers increase by up to 119%, indicating that many shoppers were trying brands online for the first time (Bluecore).

The 2020 Trends to go from Local to Global Market:

Staying up with trends is very important due to their impact on conversions and user experience which will be reflected in your e-commerce business; this will help you to boost your operations and to go viral!

1- Google Shopping:

In 2020, Google Shopping was becoming an increasingly important product-discovery channel for retailers. Unless you were a well-known brand, customers would not necessarily arrive organically or through paid search alone.

To be more effective, retailers could optimize their product feeds and integrate their e-commerce websites with Google Shopping so products could appear when customers searched for matching items.

2- Social Media Marketing Role in E-Commerce Conversions:

Brand posting was a main key in social media pages of different brands. Research at the time also showed that social channels were increasingly influencing direct purchases (Avionos).

Social media platforms affected e-commerce website conversions by offering built-in links and shopping features that made it easier for customers to move from the platform to the website and complete a purchase.

3- AR and VR Technology Revolution Impact on E-Commerce:

Amazon and Ikea were among the brands using similar technology to let shoppers test out how pieces could look in their houses. In fashion and beauty e-commerce, L’ORÉAL Paris also offered digital tools to help users choose suitable products.

Another example at the time was Regina, an Egyptian FMCG pasta brand that used a mobile application to provide customers with daily recipes using its products before purchasing.

4- Personalized Products in E-Commerce:

Personalization and customization were important e-commerce practices for improving the online user experience, with brands such as NIKE using customization tools to give customers more control over product choices.

5- Multi Choices for Payments Shorten E-Commerce Process:

Offering more payment choices can reduce friction in the e-commerce process. In 2020, Afterpay reported that merchants using its service could see conversion rates around 20% to 30% higher than other payment methods (Afterpay). Payment options could also include credit cards, cash on delivery, and other locally relevant methods.

6- Go Green in E-Commerce Packaging Process:

Eco-friendly packaging was also emerging as an e-commerce trend, particularly among niche products and brands looking to reduce waste and resource use.

What the 2020 Shift Shows About E-Commerce Data

One of the clearest lessons from the COVID-19 e-commerce trends was how quickly customer behavior, product demand, channels, and purchase patterns could change. Retailers needed data to track which categories were growing, where customers were coming from, how conversion rates changed, and whether first-time buyers returned.

That same analytical foundation remains relevant for e-commerce decisions today. Professionals who want to strengthen it can develop these skills through IMP’s Data analysis training courses, which combine analytical thinking with practical tools including Excel, Power BI, SQL, and automation for business analysis and decision support.