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What Americans are buying online during the coronavirus outbreak

Data: Adobe; Chart: Axios Visuals

It's no shock that online shopping has surged, especially for groceries, but new data from Adobe offers some valuable breakdowns of exactly where consumer dollars are going.

Why it matters: Some buying patterns are likely temporary, but many people may permanently expand what they buy online, even once physical stores reopen.


Details: According to Adobe, online grocery sales in mid-March were double what they were at the start of the month, with overall e-commerce up 25%.

  • Computer orders online rose 40% between March 11–25, compared to March 1–10, as people looked to set up home offices.
  • Apparel sales are down in many online stores, although aggressive promotions are helping keep the category as a whole roughly flat, Adobe said. That could be challenging to maintain, though, as many people already have all the T-shirts and sweats they need to stay home.
  • Fitness equipment orders were up 55% from March 11–15, compared to the beginning of the month.

Go deeper: Major retailers close doors in U.S. in response to coronavirus outbreak

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