Mar 31, 2020 - Technology
What Americans are buying online during the coronavirus outbreak
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It's no shock that online shopping has surged, especially for groceries, but new data from Adobe offers some valuable breakdowns of exactly where consumer dollars are going.
Why it matters: Some buying patterns are likely temporary, but many people may permanently expand what they buy online, even once physical stores reopen.
Details: According to Adobe, online grocery sales in mid-March were double what they were at the start of the month, with overall e-commerce up 25%.
- Computer orders online rose 40% between March 11–25, compared to March 1–10, as people looked to set up home offices.
- Apparel sales are down in many online stores, although aggressive promotions are helping keep the category as a whole roughly flat, Adobe said. That could be challenging to maintain, though, as many people already have all the T-shirts and sweats they need to stay home.
- Fitness equipment orders were up 55% from March 11–15, compared to the beginning of the month.
Go deeper: Major retailers close doors in U.S. in response to coronavirus outbreak
