A new survey from the TD Bank shows shoppers vote with their wallets online as much as they do at brick and mortar stores. 

Just like when people go into a store and have a bad experience, then don’t go back, they’ll do the same if the online experience is poor. 

The survey shows 84 percent of Canadian’s who shop online will take their business elsewhere if they have a bad digital experience. 

Vice President of Digital Experiences at the TD Bank, Imran Khan says businesses need to be aware of this, because online shopping is expected to continue to grow even when the pandemic comes to an end. 

“We think that for many consumers, they’re going to continue to shop online and buy their groceries online. If you can continue to manage your doctors visits virtually, that might continue to be something of convenience that you might want to available to you and continue to leverage.” 

But will we truly go back to “in-person” shopping en masse once the crisis is over and we can get back to normal? 

Khan says it depends on who you talk to. 

He says many of the survey’s respondents look at online shopping as the “new normal” and will stick to it as their preferred choice once the pandemic ends. 

“There’s going to be many reasons that people will still want to go into stores and have that “in person” experience. But for many, we believe, that the convenience of shopping at home in their pajamas and ordering groceries and having them delivered will be something they love to do.” 

According to the survey, 74 percent of respondents says they want companies to prioritize virtual customer service as they introduce new digital offerings. 

Khan says that’s valuable news for local, small retailers, struggling to find an online presence against companies like Amazon or big-box retailers with huge online budgets. 

“I think with the tools that are available, the experiences that can be delivered by some of the smaller, local players, can be competitive with some of the experiences that you have with the bigger players. I think we’re going to continue to see that trend.” 

Khan is quick to point out that while many will head back to stores once the pandemic is over a large number will continue to shop online as he expects shopping from home to grow as part of a larger cultural shift. 

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email news@okotoksonline.com