THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF E-COMMERCE

The novel Corona Virus spreads primarily through contact with an infected person or when a person comes in contact with a surface that has the virus on it, the best way to protect one against it is to stay at home. This has hiked the global usage of online shopping. The outbreak has infected masses and is known to have changed people's s hopping habits as they are afraid to shop outdoors. E-commerce is the concept of doing business online with the help of the internet and is a term inclusive and broader than 'online shopping'. E-commerce has experienced rapid growth since the humble, despite the sudden beginning of the lockdown imposed due to the pandemic. The study aims espiteon the e -commerce industry boost during COVID-19 pandemic. The main concern of the government is to reduce the impact of COVID-19 by imposing restrictions on the movement of people and hence to break the covid infection chain. This led to a manifold increase in the usage of internet facilities, be it in the field of teaching, grocery shopping, and entertainment. The people who did not prefer shopping online were left with no choice but to avail themselves e-commerce facilities. This was one of the main reasons the E-commerce industry witnessed rapid growth. The rising number of COVID-19 cases led to panic amongst the people to go the hospitals and therefore they preferred taking consultations from the doctors virtually, which was a new concept and a contributor to the growth of the e-commerce industry. The online food industry was another notable sphere, since, this sector comes under the category of essentials, it worke d 24x7 and helped people to get food even during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. Many NGOs joined hands with online service providers to cater to the masses. One of the many advantages of this industry's growth is that it has led to the quality of lifestyle, as people can avail themselves services at their doorstep.