As countries went into lockdown when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, ecommerce was the sole channel still open to retailers of products deemed non-essential.

As frightened consumers stayed at home, it became the preferred and only shopping option for many.

Online sales rocketed. From 20% of retail sales in February, before the great shutdown that came in March, they climbed to a record 33% in May and after stores reopened in June still accounted for almost 32% of the total.