'Convenience is king' - pandemic accelerated changes in retail, and there may be no going back FacebookTwitterEmail The retail sector was in flux, and the pandemic kicked the changes into high gear. Traffic at many brick-and-mortar stores disappeared. Online shopping surged as lockdown orders and fear of contracting COVID-19 kept people at home. “More people have permanently moved online,” said Venky Shankar, research director at Texas A&M University’s Center for Retailing Studies. Walmart, H-E-B, Target and other businesses deemed essential saw sales skyrocket early on, while department stores and malls struggled. Apparel sales slumped as more people started working from home and business meetings and events went virtual.