Young people have a popular pandemic pastime: Filling, then abandoning, e-commerce shopping carts

  • Date: 28-Feb-2021
  • Source: CNBC
  • Sector:Retail
  • Country:Middle East
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Young people have a popular pandemic pastime: Filling, then abandoning, e-commerce shopping carts

In normal times, Amanda Ryczek window-shopped “” wandering around with no intention to buy, but taking time to see new merchandise or thinking of what could be worn and where.As the Covid-19 pandemic shut down brick-and-mortar stores, the 27-year-old moved her habits online."I'm definitely not going into stores in the present moment, and so, as far as going online, you go to the store's website and in some weird way it's almost like going to the store," Ryczek said.But instead of testing a lotion or feeling the fabric on a shirt, she'll hit "add to cart" “” and then exit the window before checking out.The internet equivalent of window-shopping isn't new. People have been picking out items and abandoning carts for years. But the pastime appears to have increased due to the coronavirus pandemic, as consumers are in need of something to do and less willing to shell out money. It's "definitely a pandemic thing," she added.Ryczek isn't alone. While describing their habit in interviews this month, people compared it to therapy, a replacement for browsing around a store, or just another way to pass time while stuck at home. Brenna Shepherd told CNBC that she's increased her time spent digital window shopping