HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Retailers are focusing on online shopping asmore and more consumers are seeking to avoid public places amid the newCOVID-19 outbreak.

Le Thi Thanh Lam, deputy general director of Sai Gon Food Joint Stock Company,said during the first outbreak, consumers panicked and stocked up on goods, andso online shopping saw impressive growth.

While they are more composed this time, online shopping is still seeing hugegrowth on Sai Gon Food’s websites since they are familiar with them and theyfrequently offers good deals, she said.

A spokesperson for online platform Tiki told Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourers)newspaper that ever since the first COVID-19 cases appeared in Da Nang citylate last month, demand for health-related products has spiked, especially facemasks, demand for which grew 12-fold, and hand sanitisers, which saw salesdouble.

Other sought-after products have been air filters, school text books, bottleddrinks, and canned foods, they said.

Tran Tuan Anh, managing director of Shopee, said his company has been workingwith suppliers and brands to meet growing demand.

The change in consumer shopping behaviour caused by COVID-19 has forcedbusinesses to focus on their online shopping platform sooner than they hadoriginally planned.

For example, wholesaler MM Mega Market had to launch its shopping websitesooner than planned to offer products in demand, and other products will beadded later.

Lotte Mart Vietnam’s shopping website, speedl.vn, saw massive growth during theoutbreaks in March and July and had to double its online department payroll.

Many businesses have said that there is afierce competition to offer the best prices online.

Shopping platforms are also offering sellers advertising packages that arefeatured more prominently and reach more customers.

According to the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, retail revenues inthe first seven months of the year were 8.2 percent up year-on-year to 463.45trillion VND (20 billion USD)./.