Mehreen Kasana

Culture

COVID-19 is creating commercial winners and losers. Here's the data to prove it.

Telehealth and sports goods are enjoying an uptick in business. But times are grim for luxury and travel brands.

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Alternative data vendor SimilarWeb created a heatmap that notes the staggering difference between weekly web traffic for multiple industries right now and weekly traffic in 2019. Due to COVID-19, some traffic drops have been so steep that certain companies have gone bankrupt.

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Here are the 11 winners and losers in SimilarWeb's traffic heatmap

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12%

The sustained drop in web traffic that major online banks have witnessed with only a slight spike in April, presumably after stimulus checks hit accounts.

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800%

The uptick in web traffic witnessed by grocery services like Public, Instacart, Peapod, FreshDirect, and Walmart.

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Loser: job posting websites

Despite millions losing their jobs, websites like CareerBuilder, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, Monster, and Indeed have undergone "double-digit" drops in web traffic.

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90%

The increment in web traffic for Uber Eats and DoorDash.

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58%

The drop in web traffic Tripadvisor saw in May. Websites for cruises, airlines, and car rentals alongside traveling goods have also seen slower web traffic likely due to heavy restrictions on traveling during COVID-19.

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Loser: Luxury brands

This will shock no one. Websites like Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel, Gucci, and other high-end brands have witnessed decreased web traffic. Interestingly, however, Dior, Prada, and Hermés are three luxury brands that have actually seen traffic increase, per SimilarWeb. This could be explained by the three companies' comparative adaptability.

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47%

The drop in web traffic for Airbnb. Rentals, too, have seen lower web traffic. Sites for Zillow, Realtor.com, Apartments.com, and StreetEasy also continue to witness slumps in e-visitors.

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160%

The spike in web traffic for telemedicine website, Teladoc, on May 16 alone.

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50%

How much Etsy's web traffic increased through May. AliExpress and Alibaba have also seen 40 and 29 percent upticks respectively.

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Winner: Sporting goods

With gyms closed, people have naturally turned to sporting goods websites for not only equipment like Peloton's, but also Dick's Sporting Goods, Lululemon, and Nike. Sudden upticks can also be explained by fitness websites like PopSugar and OpenFit offering free workout programs.

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120%

The increase in web traffic for Robinhood.com, a website for first-time investors. TD Ameritrade also saw a spike of 94 percent in web traffic in March.

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1,300%

The uptick Zoom has seen in web traffic since the COVID-19 outbreak. Traffic for Webex and GoToMeeting has shot up, too.

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Bonus: AI is trying to understand your shopping habits right now

COVID-19 shopping is obviously different than regular consumption habits. These patterns are being studied by machines right now, and they're having trouble with it too. It's possible these traffic trends will change over time as we adapt to the coronavirus world. In the meantime, though, it's okay to enjoy the schadenfreude you probably felt upon seeing luxury brands are suffering. Don't hide from it.

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