Many shopping changes made during pandemic here for good

For many people, the “return to normal” means a chance to shop in person again.

The pandemic has been a tumultuous time for the retail industry as many practices were changed or adopted to try to keep the goods flowing.

While those changes were made just to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of those changes will now become a permanent part of shopping’s future.

Expect to see more pop-up stores. The concept of these small stores has become popular in recent years, adding variety and excitement to often tired retail districts.

This trend is expected to get even bigger as the pandemic fades and downtown districts look for ways to revitalize.

“I just think it’s important to note that this was a change coming to the industry, but coming out of the pandemic, at this point, it is really picking up speed, momentum,” said Allison Yee of Project Pop-Up, an organization currently working with officials in Newton and Needham to bring entrepreneurs to their communities.

“For the landlord, it’s allowing someone to fill their space, to bring some revenue in, and really bring some vitality back to what is a vacant store front,” Yee said.

Susan Manoussoff started “Tasteful Skin” eight months ago. The startup specializes in therapeutic healing balms and salts. She’ll be moving into one of eight sites in Newton and Needham.

“When you’re a new vendor like we are, someone whose just created their products, you know you want to be really smart about your overhead, so it’s a great way to sort of take baby steps,” Manoussoff said.

Many aspects of shopping are changing fast.

Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics in Swampscott, said, “Retailers have talked about the pandemic pushing their digital investments and their infrastructure investments, their delivery investments ahead five years in a compressed period of the last 12 months, and literally the retailers are fighting for their existential survival here.”

Perkins says shoppers liked many of the emergency measures stores took just to stay in business.

“Amazingly, only a few players were doing curbside pickup on a continuous basis. Walmart was very good at it prior to the pandemic, but I think it’s here for good. Retailers are going to have to absolutely get on top of this.”

Shopping for groceries will never be the same for many people.

“I think Instacart, all these delivery services, are going to continue to grow by leaps and bounds. The convenience is just too good for consumers to pass up,” said Perkins.

Everyone knows online shopping exploded over the past year. Some people even got comfortable buying big ticket items like cars over the internet. Perkins believes that trend is only going to accelerate.

“We all know that going to a car dealership and haggling with a salesperson is one of our favorite things to do, right? This particular venue allows you to cut out so much of that.”

Analysts like Perkins will watch to see how many people stay on the internet to shop and how many want to return for an in-person experience.

The way that shakes out will have a big impact on what kind of renaissance “Main Street” will ultimately experience.

Those pop-ups in Newton plan to open for business the first week of June.

Cox Media Group