What We Did During the Pandemic: Tons of Shopping, Dating in Video Chats and Dating Apps

A lot of time has passed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The world, as far as possible, has learned to live with a new reality. Several effective COVID-19 vaccines have emerged. People in general have come to terms with it all. But all the same, life will not get back on track for a long time.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that have changed a lot during the coronavirus pandemic, and that have most influenced our lives.

Shopping during a pandemic: justified purchases and less so

It was quite logical during the pandemic and quarantine that demand for personal protective equipment would increase: medical masks, respirators, antiseptic solutions, disposable gloves, etc. But there were many very strange purchases that are difficult to explain now. For example, in a number of countries, demand has grown rapidly for such things as:

  • elastic band, yeast and amulets
  • toilet paper and candles
  • dogs and firearms

People bought even stranger things. For example, kombucha, hummus, a year’s supply of ketchup, hookahs, and more. What can you not buy, just not to succumb to general panic and somehow get distracted?

At the top of the list of leading online stores in the USA and Europe are:

  1. Amazon — one of the largest marketplaces in the world, where you can buy and sell almost anything. Quite often, very profitable promotions and sales are held here, which are popular among buyers.
  2. eBay — a huge platform where you can buy and sell both new and used items at very attractive prices. Buying and selling here is done according to the principle of an online auction. The goods are picked up by the user who is willing to pay the most at the end of the auction.
  3. IKEA — a world renowned furniture manufacturing company. The main feature of the brand is that all products are sold disassembled, and the buyer assembles them according to the instructions. This is usually not difficult and serves as an additional incentive for many to buy something here. Plus there are savings on delivery.
  4. AliExpress — a real giant of the Asian online market, where you can find almost all products at very reasonable prices. Free or low-cost shipping makes AliExpress a very attractive platform for millions of buyers around the world.
  5. 6pm — a popular online marketplace for discount goods. Here you can buy things 40-70% cheaper than the original price. And sometimes the discount on branded items even reaches 80%.

In addition to online stores, the demand for delivery services has also increased. This includes food delivery, since during the pandemic, many preferred to order food and groceries at home so as not to go out again and not put themselves at risk.

The rise in popularity of services for online communication

It is logical that the lack of live communication forced people to actively use various online services. These are social networks, instant messengers, dating sites and applications, and of course video chat sites. Interestingly, it’s web chats that have shown particularly rapid growth rates. Largely due to convenience, ease of use and anonymity. Dating apps aren’t lagging behind, though. Let’s take a closer look at both of these formats.

Random video chat sites

One of the very first representatives of the random chat format was the Omegle website. It has been in operation since 2009 and has been able to attract millions of users since then. However, sometime after 2010-2011, interest in Omegle chat and other web chat services began to fade away. First, there are too many alternatives. And secondly, many other formats of communication appeared.

Now, after the outbreak of the pandemic in 2019 and its peak in 2020, we are seeing a rapid increase in the popularity of online video chat sites. And now it’s not just about Omegle. On the contrary, alternatives such as random video chat with girls are becoming more popular.

The random chat roulette format is great for those who do not want to spend a lot of time on dating sites, where you need to register, fill out profile data, add photos, and more. Virtually nothing is required of you in video chat. A few clicks, you’re already chatting with a random user. And if you get bored with the conversation, you can almost instantly switch to the next person.

The big plus of modern video chat sites is that they have mobile applications. You can communicate directly from your smartphone and not be tied to a computer or internet cable. Omegle still does not have an official mobile application, and this is a big flaw.

Dating apps

Dating apps have replaced classic dating sites. The principle of their work has virtually not changed, but now the platform for finding a soulmate is always at your fingertips — in your mobile phone.

One of the most striking examples of modern online dating is the Tinder app. Tinder has two key principles at work:

  1. Search for a potential pair by location. The application searches for users who are geographically close to you. This means that it will be easier for you to meet in person.
  2. Mutual attraction. You see photos of other users and can “like” them. If your attractions match, the application will create a “pair” and invite you to start chatting, which is very convenient.

Of course, Tinder isn’t the only dating app worth checking out. There are really a lot of similar sites, and some of them are even more interesting and feature-packed than Tinder. It’s just that Tinder is a household name for many so it’s one of the first to come to mind when someone says the phrase “dating app”. But we still recommend trying other sites. You’ll like them!

The new way of meeting people

The coronavirus pandemic has shocked the world. There is no doubt that we’ll feel its consequences for a very long time. This is despite the availability of quality vaccines and protective measures taken by governments around the world.

A task for all of us is to learn to live in modern realities, take care of your health and find an alternative to live communication when the need arises. Dating apps and anonymous video chat sites can’t 100% replace dating and conversation in the real world. But they can still help you avoid loneliness. And most importantly, they open up endless opportunities for finding new friends or even a soulmate. Give them a try, and don’t be afraid of something new!


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