With the endless number of essentials that can be purchased with just a click of a button, e-commerce has brought shopping right to our fingertips. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, shopping online is now a common occurrence.

This new lifestyle has brought a change in attitudes towards shopping malls and plazas, and has made sites like Amazon a trillion-dollar empire. According to KommandoTech, an estimated 20 million e-commerce sites exist as of 2020.

Junior Michele Roman of Neptune explained how she thinks the online market evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“I believe that the pandemic has triggered an incredible spike in online shopping. It has begun a transition into a world that’s more digital and online-based,” Roman said. “A lot of people simply don’t want to leave our homes and some of us just aren’t comfortable with the pandemic. Online shopping has presented a safer, easier alternative to in- store shopping.”

For some, online shopping was the only option with the pandemic going on. For others, online shopping was simply the better alternative since it gives them the opportunity to shop from the comfort of their homes.

Roman claimed that she enjoys online shopping over in-person shopping.

“Social media has made online shopping more accessible. We now have the ability to purchase items directly through social media platforms,” Roman explained. “I probably shop online more often just because it is easier and you don’t have to waste more time going into stores.”

Sophomore Meghan Garrity of Middletown agreed with Roman, saying that shopping online is easier.

“I tend to shop online more simply because it’s easier,” Garrity said. “I prefer online shopping over in-person shopping because everything comes right to my front door and is easier for me.”

With the growing popularity of shopping from home, there is no surprise that online shopping sites have boomed in success in recent years, and even more in recent months.

According to Miles Advisory the Australian online boutique Princess Polly was expected to earn $15 million in earnings in 2020, which is $5 million more than in 2019. The online boutique, among others, has grown because of the power of influencer marketing on social media.

Like Princess Polly, other boutiques have started broadening their audience reach by sending clothing items to influencers who will advertise their products. These boutiques also create multiple social media accounts, starting with Instagram and Tiktok to grow a following. Even local boutique stores, such as Hazel Boutique in Belmar, rose to fame during the pandemic due to their online site, as well as their social media accounts.

Garrity believes social media influences online shopping positively, allowing shopping with ease due to features like the Instagram “Shopping Cart.”

“I think social media has increased online shopping by a lot,” Garrity said. “You can click direct links that bring you exactly to the product you want to buy.”

The growth of the e-commerce community continues to expand, the COVID-19 pandemic and social media in tow for being the main reasons why popularity is attracted.