The coronavirus outbreak has stalled American retailers’ e-commerce growth, sparked traffic declines and pushed many to lower quarterly guidance, according to a survey published April 22 by CommerceNext, which organises conferences for retail and direct-to-consumer marketers.
Since mid-February, when coronavirus began impacting the US, about half of retailers said their e-commerce traffic has been trending downward. This is a concerning development for retailers that are relying on web sales for a lifeline as mandatory closures of nonessential businesses shutter wide swaths of the industry. Many of these companies, including department stores and apparel chains, have reminded shoppers that online operations are open for business.