One Pandemic, Two Options, Endless Possibilities

Written by By George Hashemi / Artwork by Jordan Clewner

What’s the new wave of retail consumerism?

With companies like Moderna and Pfizer rolling out millions of vaccine doses for COVID-19, it feels like this terrible nightmare might finally be over. The light of normalcy is peaking out of the clouds as the country heads into summer. But what will be the new normal?

The virus was a capricious shock to the country’s system; everyone’s life was disrupted, every business and economy was affected. It’s hard to imagine what the U.S. was like before and if it will ever, or can ever, be the same.

When national lockdowns were mandated, life went digital, including the fashion industry. The once vibrant places of Chicago’s Michigan Ave. and New York City’s Garment District became vacant. Retail stores and fashion businesses closed down as people stayed inside, and a new wave of online consumerism appeared. The virus took away the ability to enter a store physically. The only way to get new clothes and accessories was online.

But now vaccines are here; summer is around the corner, and people are coming out of their quarantine shells and returning to daily life. Stores have reopened, and the opportunity to shop in person has returned. But will people go back to the retailers they love? Or has online shopping become so efficient that people feel there’s no need? “It’s [online shopping] more convenient. You don’t have to go to a store. You can just do it online with a click of a button,” says Anna Ross, Syracuse University junior. Ross appreciates the specificity that online shopping allows. “It’s so much more targeted. If I want a specific shirt, I can just search for that shirt and find it.” The internet allows the complexity and variety of the fashion industry to be just a quick google search away. There is a certain appeal to how easily accessible this extensive volume of products can be.

It’s no secret the pandemic limited consumers to the digital world. Every economy transitioned to digital spaces for its customers. “I think now, with covid, online shopping has really expanded, especially with things being available that weren’t necessarily as available online before like groceries,” says Jenna O’Neill, Syracuse University junior. But, O’Neill doesn’t think online shopping will take over and says, “inperson shopping is likely to become more popular again, especially with the weather getting nicer.”

James Horan, owner of Vagabond Clothing Inc, a local Syracuse retailer, agrees. “We’re social creatures. So going out and trying something on and being around people and interacting with regular human beings, that part of living,” says Horan. The weather also plays a role in if people are willing to physically shop in stores. People are more inclined to travel to their local malls or favorite retail stores in warm, clear weather. Sunny skies are much more encouraging than grey, rain scattered clouds. “As the [summer] weather comes, people are starting to move around more,” says Horan. But, Ross is still weary. “I think it’s possible [in-person shopping], but I also don’t think so just because of how convenient online shopping is. Shopping in a store seems like such a hassle,” says Ross.

There’s no argument that online shopping is convenient and efficient. Yet, there’s something unique and human about weaving through clothing racks. “You know some things you wanna try on before you buy it or see it in person and get the quality,” says O’Neill. Online, a person loses the ability to interact with fashion. There’s no liberty to feel the clothes, assess the material or test the quality and fit. Ordering online can be deceptive and somewhat of a gamble. One can never really predict the reality of what they order until the item is physically in front of them. That’s why Horan shops, “Always in person.”

The fashion industry is evolving. With technology advancing at rapid rates, online consumerism is easier than ever. Covid halted in-person shopping, and people went from shuffling through stores to clicking through websites. O’Neill says, “I personally have grown to enjoy online shopping more because in-person has less options.” For her, “It’s become so easy.” However, digital consumerism will never replace going into a store for Horan. “The internet is not living. It’s nothing but a digital space for people,” says Horan.

In-person and online shopping has its perks and drawbacks, but the fashion industry would not survive without both. “People will shop online for things they can trust to buy, but they’re still gonna want to come in stores and have the experience of shopping,” says Horan.

O’Neil might have said it best that, “The option to do both is definitely the most ideal and convenient.”