Impact of COVID-19 on Online Shopping: A Study on Marks and Spencer

Research Proposal

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Background of the topic..............................................................................................................3
Company overview.....................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
Impact of COVID-19 over the online shopping..........................................................................4
Benefits of online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic....................................................4
Challenges faced by retail sector due to COVID-19 regarding online shopping........................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Background of the topic
The COVID-19 crisis led towards the dramatic shifts regarding the behaviour of consumers. For
this, retailers need to have work hard in order to meet ever-evolving customer experience need to
win and remain relevant. Digital first and omni-channel retailers tends to pivoted more
effectively but the retailers who prioritised physical stores and face to face involvement over the
omni-channel to have respond towards (Showrav and et. al., 2021). The pandemic tends to
change the consumer behaviour respectively as the availability of e-commerce and hygiene
considerations are enhancing the switching behaviour of customers by making them away from
the primary store.
Company overview
For this research, Marks and Spencer is considered which is a British multinational retailer
headquarter in London, England. Company deals in clothing, home products and food products
and most of the products with its own label. Marks and Spencer was founded by Michael Marks
and Thomas Spencer in 1884. Further, company has around 959 stores across the UK from
which approximately 615 sells food products.
Research aim
The main aim of this report is “To analyse the impact of Covid-19 on changing behaviour of
customers towards online shopping within the retail industry”. A study on Marks and Spencer.
Research objectives
 To determine the impact of COVID-19 over the online shopping.
 To identify the benefits of online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 To analyse the challenges faced by retail sector due to COVID-19 regarding online
shopping.
Research questions
 What are the impact of COVID-19 over the online shopping?
 What are the benefits of online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic?
 What are the challenges faced by retail sector due to COVID-19 regarding online
shopping?
Rationale of research