Interactions between e-commerce users during the COVID-19 pandemic period: What came and what remained

Abstract

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the online sales industry experienced record-breaking growth. The number of businesses that decided to enter the e-commerce market for the first time was enormous. At the height of the quarantine, Brazil was registering a new virtual store every minute. This was an unanticipated and unplanned expansion. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify existing challenges in human interactions with e-commerce, such as the difficulties faced during the pandemic and improvements to ensure growth of, and confidence in, this type of business. METHODS: An exploratory study of e-commerce data and an online survey using the snowball non-probabilistic method were developed to research the growth of, and issues in, Brazilian users’ interaction with e-commerce, comparing findings before and after the pandemic restrictions. RESULTS: Some businesses were not prepared, and the lack of experience among workers contributed to businesses not delivering on their promises. The acceleration of e-commerce demonstrates the need to guarantee that Brazil can effectively use e-commerce to capitalize on digital supply chain opportunities and enhance their role in its economic expansion, while remaining human-centered. CONCLUSIONS: For users’ needs to be met, companies and online workers must understand people’s needs and behaviors in order to provide excellent service.