The pandemic has forced us to make many changes in our regular routines, and our holiday shopping traditions are not immune to those changes. While a lot of teenagers shop online already, COVID-19 has caused online shopping to be even more popular. 

“[While shopping during the pandemic], I shopped online much more and was very careful when shopping in stores,” Emma Scharff, junior, said. “I plan on doing [my holiday shopping] mostly online this year.”

Some teens favor the in-person shopping method, while still recognizing the pros of shopping online.

“I prefer to go into stores, but online shopping is more effective,” Cailey Shanks, freshman, said. “In my opinion the virus has made clothing shopping less fun and exciting since we can’t go anywhere.”

With COVID cases going up every day, the debate of whether shopping in person is actually safe or not continues to grow. 

“I think it’s safe if it’s done properly and in small increments because there will be less contact and less chances of spreading COVID-19,” Scharff said.

The pandemic has created a heightened sense of worry in everyone, which has affected consumer experiences. 

“The little in-person shopping I’ve done has felt very rushed,” Marley Gardner, junior, said. “I prefer to be able to walk around and see everything, but this year I needed a super clear plan of exactly what I needed from a store, or I just had to do it online.” 

The pandemic has also had a huge effect on smaller local businesses, as a lot of them have gone out of business.

“I think people are shifting away from supporting their local businesses,” Gardner said. “There’s been a big push to support them, but big corporations offer the convenience of an item delivered to your doorstep in just a couple days instead of having to leave your house for curbside pickup or whatever.”