Online sellers, virtual classes, delivery services, and healthcare saw a surge in demands, an expected outcome of the crisis. Of course, since many countries had to start social distancing measures to keep the virus at bay, demands for these businesses were not a surprise. But, many businesses were still thriving despite — or because of — the pandemic, which was entirely unexpected.
Unexpectedly Thriving Businesses Amid The Pandemic
Cosmetic surgeries, alternative transportation, and gardening supplies were some of the most surprising businesses that were not just thriving during the pandemic; they were making a considerable profit. These trends were quite unexpected as the health crisis also led to an economic crisis. But for some reason, many people still had some extra cash to spare for these products and services. Here are the reasons for these trends:
1. Cosmetic and plastic surgeries
Despite the lockdowns and worsening health crisis brought about by the pandemic, one business that saw a huge boom is the cosmetic and plastic surgery clinics. It’s no secret that society’s beauty standards have influenced many to go under the knife. People get nose jobs or some Botox injections to enhance how they look or reconstruct a part of their body or face to normal appearance and function all the time. It’s become so normalized that websites like alma-lasers.com.au and other cosmetic surgery sites get so much traffic.
But what’s surprising is that this boom happened during 2020 despite the pandemic. Many experts believe that several reasons caused this trend. The first is that people gained so much weight for not having many chances to go to the gym and work out. Another reason is that people have so much downtime at home that recovering from surgery wouldn’t affect their everyday lives. Lastly, people spend so much time on Zoom calls that they scrutinize their appearances even more from the extended time of seeing themselves on their monitor, hence the “Zoom boom” trend.
So, whatever the real reason is for this surge in cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures, it looks like it’s a trend that wouldn’t likely stop. People cope differently with the crisis, so doing what makes you feel good shouldn’t be a problem.
2. Alternative transportation
Due to public transportation being a risky place in the middle of a pandemic, many people decided to invest in alternative ways of traveling, which is why used cars and e-bikes were in demand in 2020.
Another factor causing the increase in people’s interest in used cars is that people want to spend lesser money in the face of economic uncertainties. As for e-bikes, it is a new generation of bicycles that have both environmental and economic benefits. Riding it also has health benefits that people could use to exercise without having to hit the gym.
Even if most people stayed at home for half of 2020, the easing of the lockdowns has driven people to purchase these alternative forms of transportation to still travel without using public transports. It’s a brilliant and safe move.
3. Gardening supplies
2020 was the year that turned many people into gardeners. Suddenly, almost everyone was digging soil from their backyard and planting seeds and trees. Some are even growing their own food, and some are nurturing an indoor garden for decorative purposes. It appears that this gardening trend will continue to become more prominent as 86% of homeowners said they would continue their gardening ways into the future.
Besides being a distraction from the many ongoing problems in the world, gardening also has many benefits for the environment, especially if you make your compost, reuse plastic containers into pots, and plant trees that could absorb CO2 and help with climate change. It also has many health benefits as exposure to the sun can be a supply of Vitamin D, which could help lessen the risks of heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
If you still haven’t made use of your green thumb, then it might be time to consider gardening or start your gardening business. It’s a win-win situation.
The Promising Post-Pandemic Future
These businesses that have seen a sharp increase in demands could signal that the pre-pandemic normalcy could be returning soon, but with better alternatives to people’s way of life. Or it could also mean that most people have just learned to navigate their lives in a pandemic-torn world. Whatever the reason is, it looks like the future will be promising, as many people will come out of this crisis as more confident, eco-friendly, and healthier versions of themselves.
