Changes in online and in-store shopping behaviour pre- and post-COVID-19: a case study from Indian city Nagpur

Abstract

ABSTRACT The recent COVID-19 pandemic brought the physical and virtual worlds closer and expedited the adoption of online shopping. In the context of pre- and post-COVID-19 scenarios, this paper establishes the relationship between the growth in online shopping, the shift in in-store grocery and non-grocery shopping trips, and the reciprocity among variables. A random sample of 1646 household responses from Nagpur city was used to develop multiple regression models to explore the interrelationship of these activities and their impact on conventional shopping and travel demand. Model results show the complex interplay between socio-demographic and shopping behaviour variables. The findings suggest incorporating the interplay impacts into travel demand forecasting models. It also highlights the possible effects on urban land use and transport planning. Finally, the study suggests integrating urban land use and transport planning at the activity level for a comprehensive approach.