Humanizing the Digital Experience in a Post-Pandemic Era

After months of repetition, rituals become deeply ingrained — which is why the sweeping changes in consumer behavior that have taken root during the pandemic are likely to last well into the future. In my work advising Fortune 500 companies, I call this COVID-stasis — a state of suspended animation that is keeping consumers stuck in place. It’s no surprise, then, to see that many brands expect trends in digital and e-commerce to keep going even as the pandemic subsides. A recent Gartner report found that while CMOs do expect an uptick in the number of people visiting brick-and-mortar stores, they also expect further increases in purchases via store websites and other online channels.