## E-Commerce During COVID in Spain: One “Click” Does Not Fit All

_IMF Working Papers, May 24, 2024_

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## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Prachi Mishra, Alvaro Ortiz, Tomasa Rodrigo, Antonio Spilimbergo, Sirenia Vazquez
- Published: May 24, 2024
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400277399.001

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### Authors and publication
- By Prachi Mishra, Alvaro Ortiz, Tomasa Rodrigo, Antonio Spilimbergo, Sirenia Vazquez
- May 24, 2024
- IMF Working Papers, Working Paper No. 2024/107
- Pages: 36
- Volume: 2024
- Issue: 107
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400277399.001
- ISBN: 9798400277399
- ISSN: 1018-5941
- Stock No: WPIEA2024107

### Research question and data
- Research question: How did e-commerce use in Spain change during COVID, and which behavioral mechanisms (fear, hoarding, learning) explain observed changes?
- Data: A unique proprietary dataset on credit card transactions.

### Key findings
- The share of e-commerce in total credit-card spending boomed during Covid in Spain.
- Demographic patterns during the pandemic:
  - Women used e-commerce proportionally more during the pandemic.
  - Youth used e-commerce proportionally more during the pandemic.
  - Urban consumers used e-commerce proportionally more during the pandemic.
- Sectoral pattern:
  - The increased e-commerce use during the pandemic was especially pronounced for services.
- Post-pandemic evolution:
  - Overall, e-commerce share reverted to its pre-Covid trend as the pandemic waned.
- Heterogeneity and lasting change:
  - Some consumers with lower pre-Covid e-commerce usage tend to permanently use more e-commerce, supporting the conjecture of “learning by locking” for these individuals.

### Themes and keywords
- Subject areas: Consumption, COVID-19, Expenditure, Health, National accounts, Population and demographics, Total expenditures
- Keywords: aggregate consumption e-commerce, Consumption, Covid, Covid e-commerce usage, Covid trend, COVID-19, e-commerce, e-commerce share, Europe, learning, share of e-commerce, Total expenditures

*IMF Working Paper No. 2024/107*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2024/05/24/e-commerce-during-covid-in-spain-one-click-does-not-fit-all-549510_