From manicure kits to ergonomic chairs, coronavirus has created some curious shopping habits

Hopefully, with a mixture of fun and entertainment along with the essentials, we will help our readers get through these difficult times, writes IndyBest editor Emma Henderson

(Getty/iStockphoto)

The major events of the year, from Glastonbury to the Olympics, are being cancelled all around us. And with schools and nurseries closed, and the rest of us being confined to our homes, people are turning to the internet for entertainment.

At IndyBest, our product review section, we’ve seen some of our categories suddenly become much more popular: some expectedly, others less so. And it’s been fascinating to see what people are buying to get themselves through these unprecedented times.

As gyms close and people look to ways they can easily keep fit at home, we’ve seen a big rise in the popularity of at-home fitness equipment, like rowing machines, yoga mats and fitness apps.

Meanwhile, as schools close and parents look for ways to entertain their kids, traffic to our trampolines piece has surged threefold. It’s usually a popular piece in the summer months, when children are on summer holidays – but with this unexpectedly good weather, parents are obviously looking for a way to get their kids burning off energy outside.

Our piece on streaming services continues to be widely read – this week, Disney rather strategically launched Disney+, for which parents around the country will no doubt be thankful.

And as many of us have had to turn parts of our homes into makeshift offices, more people are buying ergonomic desk chairs, it seems. A piece that would otherwise be quite niche has become a go-to for many people now seeking home office equipment.

Yet while the popularity of these pages is mostly expected, our roundup of home gel nail kits has done unexpectedly well in the past few weeks, perhaps as people can’t get to salons.

But of course, perhaps the most significant change in consumer behaviour due to coronavirus is that more and more are doing their grocery shopping online. Our pieces on subscription-delivered food are already highly popular, but as supermarket online delivery slots are increasingly hard to come by, people are turning to these services more and more.

For now, we are focussing on reacting to the trends we’re seeing in order to help keep adults and kids busy, as well as giving the most up to date information on food delivery services. And hopefully, with a mixture of fun and entertainment along with the essentials, we will help our readers get through these difficult times.

Yours,

Emma Henderson

IndyBest Editor