It became clear early on in the pandemic that e-commerce would emerge as a rare bright spot from the crisis. With the general guidance being to stay home, consumers frequently chose one of two options when they needed something: consolidating shopping trips by going to big-box retailers for all of their needs or buying online. As a result, retailers were faced with an influx of online shoppers, which meant reevaluating services like BOPIS and curbside pickup, and revamping online operations to ensure a seamless experience.

The pandemic has drastically increased the adoption of those alternative delivery methods and shifted how retailers think about their supply chains overall. From the environmental impact of the online shopping surge to the costs of implementing faster delivery and pickup options, here are some of the ways that retail supply chains have been impacted by the pandemic.