Interesting timing around Juniper Research’s latest study: it predicts that ecommerce is set to boom globally and top $4.8trillion by 2024.
And the rest! I think we stand on the beginnings of a total shift in how people spend money online.
As the world locks itself away in its homes, ecommerce is becoming something of a lifeline. With no way to go out, many people are turning to online and mobile to get both essentials and fun things – again great timing on the part of Disney, launching its streaming Disney+ service this week.
People are also using mobile and mobile payments to buy entertainment. A study by Bango into what people in countries where Corona has surged and, hopefully, peaked shows that they are using mobile to shop for food, shop for other items, play games and use social media.
This is perhaps unsurprising, but what this coronavirus issue has done has produced a seismic shift in how people shop. Remember, not everyone is an ecommerce fan, but this has seen more people than ever move to buying online and on mobile – and when this is all over, many won’t be going back.
This is likely to be a boon for the digital, telecoms and tech sectors, so long as we can keep the networks running and the lights on.
Tech is even there at the forefront of the fight to ameliorate the impact of Coronavirus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set up possibly the largest WhatsApp group in the known universe, globally disseminating information, data and advice to potentially millions of people. The UK government has also since followed suit.
Other people are doing there bit too. G-Core labs is making its network and servers available for events and other companies to help remote working and even remote ‘eventing’ – something that, if this does drag on, will become something of a norm for a while.
Everyone else in the sector is pulling together and, thanks to our ability to work from home, it is not only keeping things going, but it will soon be a god send providing shopping and entertainment to the vast majority of the world’s population. We are all going to need some fun – let’s make it happen. Stay well.
>>> For more in-depth news, why not check out Telemedia Magazine – Issue 56 Focused on Making Interactive Media Pay
