Kinnaird 1

Alison Kinnaird

Mrs. Cramer

Comp Pd. 6b

18 February 2022

Shopping Habits Effected by Covid

“Clothes, food, books, toys, and more are just a button or click away. Targeted ads on

popular social media apps are inching their way into the lives of everyone in the United States,”

(Alvarez). Ads are encouraging people to order online because of all the cool stuff they can find.

I personally believe that shopping habits have been changed by covid in healthier, safer ways but

with less social interactions.  

One of the benefits of online shopping is better health. As people do more online

shopping, we see an increase in better health. One of the reasons we see an increase in general

health is social distancing which limits the spread of germs. There are disadvantages of staying

home, such as weight gain, although there are apps out there to help people improve their health

and keep track of their weight (Batat). Furthermore, during times of quarantine, there was a

renewed focus on wellness, therefore businesses focused on “health and vitality did do well,

along with those tapping into broader social good movements” (“Shop”). Overall, apps, social

distancing and online shopping helped to improve health. I believe that everyone deserves to

know the advantages and disadvantages of shopping because it’s affecting people around the

world.

Along with improving health, online shopping can also provide safety. Because of the

pandemic, online shopping can provide a safer environment. Online shopping offers safer
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options as to getting the items you may need (Alvarez). This can improve safety because as

you’re doing online shopping, you aren’t putting yourself into an environment that can cause you

to get sick. Doing online shopping protects you from road traffic, and car hazards. Furthermore,

you can avoid bad weather by online shopping from home. Therefore, online shopping allows

consumers to stay safe from traffic, hazards, and bad weather.

Not only are there good things to the change of shopping habits, there are some

downsides to online shopping such as fewer social interactions. Due to online shopping

increasing we notice a decrease in social interactions (Tahir). This is ruining society because we

need social interactions. It can be extremely unhealthy to go for such a long without interacting

with other people. Some people are working and shopping from home. They don’t see anyone,

and it can make people feel lonely, depressed, and anti-social. Being a daughter of someone who

works from home, I can see how it can affect mental health and it can really take a toll on you.

Although there are benefits to online shopping, the lack of social interactions can be a drawback.

In conclusion, shopping habits have been changed by covid in healthier, safer ways but

with less social interactions. Apps, distancing, and shopping have given people ways to improve

their health. Furthermore, online shopping keeps consumers safe from terrible drivers, inclimate

weather, and hazardous road conditions. However, lack of social interactions is hurting plenty of

people, as well as our society. Although, “clothes, food, books, toys, and more are just a button

or click away,” never forget that nothing can replace human social interactions.
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Works cited

Alvarez, Marcus. "COVID-19 and the online shopping phenomenon." UWIRE Text, 4 Oct.
2021, p. 1. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A677869631/AONE?
u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=182fda2b. Accessed 10 Dec. 2021.
Batat, Wided. "Getting Phygital with Consumers." Ivey Business Journal Reprints, Mar.-Apr.
2021, pp. 2b+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A671226420/AONE?
u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=df268edb. Accessed 10 Dec. 2021.
"Shop 'til you drop... your phone: Tensions between consumer convenience and sustainable
business practices are reshaping our shopping habits." The Chronicle of Higher
Education, vol. 68, no. 1, 3 Sept. 2021, pp. 28+. Gale Academic OneFile,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A682131099/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-
AONE&xid=1be41bb0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2021.
Tahir, Muhammad. "Online Review and Customer Purchase Intention in Social E-Commerce
Context; Role of Trust as a Mediator and Source Credibility as Moderator." Jinnah
Business Review, vol. 9, no. 1, 30 June 2021, p. 25. Gale Academic OneFile,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A681734550/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=bookmark-
AONE&xid=d66000d9. Accessed 10 Dec. 2021