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Before the coronavirus pandemic, e-commerce was fully expanding. But confinement has accelerated the electronic commerce penetration in Spanish society. And it seems to be for good. Many shops consider that digitization is here to stay and that their survival depends on their being able to adapt to this new reality. In recent months, many businesses have been forced to accelerate their technological adaptation, and in parallel the consumer consumption habits have changed, focusing their purchases to and from the online environment. In this context, it is essential for companies to know how to use technology to their advantage and to know the importance of dedicating resources to digital marketing, which becomes an ally to generate business opportunities. The effects of the Covid-19 will accelerate trends such as omnichannel - understanding that the relationship with the consumer comes from various points of contact - as well as a greater application of artificial intelligence.

90% of Spanish e-commerce sales were drastically reduced from March 14 to 19. However, as of that date, some e-commerce in very specific sectors, such as fashion or home accessories, tripled their daily sales, while others, such as the online supermarket category - which did not reach 3% market share - exponentially increased sales.

This e-commerce take-off will undoubtedly speed up technological changes so that the last mile logistics meet its main challenges focused on fast and efficient deliveries and sustainability. In this way, the optimization of distribution routes will mark the future of the sector in order to reduce polluting emissions and packaging. In addition, it will be necessary to emphasize the commitment to reverse logistics to minimize costs and be more efficient and sustainable. The emergence of robots, increasingly standardized, is another trend, as are the mapping-guided vehicles within logistics warehouses.

The use of physical lockers or e-lockers will also take off so that each person can pick up their orders at nearby points and with more flexibility than at present time, which in turn will help reduce vehicle use, reduce traffic jams and improve the cities’ air quality.