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According to a survey carried out in April 2020, the main reason for Mexican consumers to shop online during the pandemic was the fear of exposure to the coronavirus, mentioned by over half (55 percent) of respondents. In addition, 48 percent of buyers surveyed said they had purchased over the internet to avoid crowds in physical stores, most likely also due to the sanitary crisis.

When shopping, safety comes first

The pandemic forced Mexico’s government to impose various movement restrictions and lockdowns in a bid to contain the contagion. With cases of COVID-19 on the rise and an increasing number of mortalities, fear of the invisible enemy remained strong among the Mexican population throughout 2020, to the advantage of the e-commerce industry. During two of the largest online shopping events in the country: Hot Sale in late April and El Buen Fin in November, surveys showed that nearly half of respondents shopped on the internet to avoid crowds and exposure in physical stores.

E-commerce has gone viral

By offering both safety and variety all from the comfort of home, e-shopping has enchanted millions of Latin Americans. In Mexico, the share of population buying online jumped from 46 percent in January 2020, just before the coronavirus outbreak, to 60 percent by the end of the year. Similar growth was observed in other countries within the region, including Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, all surpassing a 50 percent penetration rate during this period. Far from being a passing trend, e-commerce is here to stay. During a survey conducted in some of the major Latin American economies, at least eight out of ten people who purchased on the web for the first time during the pandemic stated planning to continue doing so in the future.