Shopping online has been pretty much the only way people can shop during this pandemic. In 2020, studies show that the number of people shopping online from 2019 to 2020 had gone up by six to ten percent, which was found around the time COVID-19 hit. However, that doesn’t mean people spend more. Studies also have shown that the average online spending per month since covid has decreased drastically. The online consumption of tourism tickets, flight tickets, hotel bookings, etc, have declined by 75%. For more information, a good website to go to is unctad.org. More people are buying essential products and materials such as food, medicine, and cosmetics. Social media can also encourage people to shop more, due to the increase in advertisements. People the ages of 25-44 have been buying things online more than the elderly or the teens. Since this pandemic, both online shopping and regular shopping habits have changed. Businesses have also adapted to covid restrictions. However, since many people are on their devices more than ever, it is natural for scammers and pseudo websites to appear.

Many people get caught up in a scam or fraud and lose lots of money. That is one of the dangers to look out for when buying something online. Always go for official websites that are not shown from ads. For instance, if someone searches up “amazon,” and clicks on an ad (not an official website), there might be a chance that the website is in disguise. They will probably put a number for that person to call and will steal money from their card for a false reason.  There are many other instances to look out for, like what the product details are. Product details provide information about that specific product like its contents, materials, and more. Many people make the mistake of not checking the shipping cost or comparing similar products. WEbsites like “Wish” give out fake, buyable things, such as AirPods or designer clothes. Go to lifehack.org to learn more.

The pandemic has caused the majority of people to live a very different way and adapt to it. Since the virus is deadly and can easily be spread, online shopping is encouraged. However, it is always important to check for fraud and buy from a trusted seller, such as the actual amazon website.  Shopping isn’t always easy, it just takes one click to make a big mistake.