Post-Pandemic Shifts in Global Online Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This article explores how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped global online consumer behavior, asking what enduring changes emerged in digital adoption, purchasing patterns, and consumer expectations. The role of the study is to synthesize fragmented scholarship through a systematic literature review, integrating findings from marketing, information systems, and consumer behavior research. The results reveal that necessity-driven adoption during lockdowns expanded into normalized use of e-commerce for essentials and discretionary goods, with consumers valuing convenience, flexibility, and trust in digital platforms. The discussion highlights how generational and cultural differences shaped adoption, how psychological factors such as uncertainty influenced risk perceptions, and how firms adapted through omnichannel integration, native advertising, and sustainability-oriented strategies. The main finding is that post-pandemic consumer behavior represents not only an acceleration of existing digital trends but also a structural realignment in values, emphasizing resilience, transparency, and ethical consumption as key drivers of the digital marketplace.