Several major international retailers have announced that they will temporarily close the doors of their stores as part of the fight against coronavirus proliferation in the U.S. and Europe. These include well-known companies such as Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Everlane, Glossier, Patagonia, Reformation, Apple, Nike, Lululemon, Lush Cosmetics, Outdoor Voices, REI and Under Armour.
Mass closing began on Friday, March 13th. The first companies to announce these intentions were Glossier and Patagonia. Apple and Nike followed them, and others joined in. The retail outlets will stay closed for at least two weeks until the end of March. Then their owners will act on the situation. Most of these companies have confirmed that they will pay their employees their wages during the forced holiday period.
Store closures are forcing retailers to look for other ways to sell their products. As a result, there has been a significant increase in online sales, increased user interest in various mobile applications of brands, etc.
But not all companies can close their retail outlets; they have to look for other ways. First of all, this applies to sellers of food and essential goods. Thus, the Walmart network has announced a reduction in working hours for employees. And companies such as Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s have begun to implement all kinds of new means of protecting employees.
