Christmas in the spirit of coronavirus and online shopping this year

Only half of Czechs want to spend as much on gifts as last year due to the pandemic - at the same time, the number of online buyers has increased from 50 to 60% since Christmas 2019, according to the Equa Bank research.

This year has woken up fears of an unstable financial future within many people. Due to limited contact with families and travel restrictions, many have also been re-evaluating the Christmas spendings in several ways. Online shopping became part of everyday life - in addition to convenience, it provides the assurance of virus protection.

Online stores are experiencing tremendous growth this winter with more orders than ever before. According to a Fair Credit survey, nearly 70% of residents confirmed that this year they plan buying more Christmas gifts online than in previous years. Until last year, only four out of ten people did their Christmas shopping online.

Many citizens rely on online shopping, sending their orders mid-December. As a result of doubled orders in a very short period of time, stores are setting deadlines to be able to deliver orders before Christmas. The delivery company PPL has already confirmed that the last day for orders that will have guaranteed delivery by Christmas is December 16. DPD advises doing last orders by 18th of December this year.

Stores and delivery services are hiring a lot of part-time workers in advance to manage the record numbers of shipments in December. Interest in working for online shopping platforms increased this year, due to the crisis in industries such as hospitality. However, customers are still being advised to shop in advance and avoid delays. This week may be the last opportunity to buy Christmas gifts online before the holidays begin.