Is there a future for virtual trade

The aim of the study was to find an answer to the question of whether a virtual store is an independent structure in the trade business or is it just another sales channel in the marketing strategy of an offline store. And what is the future of virtual commerce, especially after the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. In the course of the study, the author considered the hypotheses that e-commerce will eventually displace traditional clothing and footwear stores from the market. Or the online store will never be able to fully satisfy the buyer's request. The pros and cons of online stores are revealed, the history of the evolution of trade is considered. About thirty Russian online stores selling clothing and footwear, ranging from hypermarket scales to small ones on social media pages, were investigated. Parameters such as the novelty of the assortment, relevance, quality, price, delivery time, the possibility of return or exchange, and the seller's consultation were assessed. The results show that despite the benefits of e-commerce, a number of shoppers will still prefer traditional stores. And here the point is not only that traditional trade invites the buyer to first touch and try on the product, as well as the moment of purchase, but that visiting a store is an opportunity to go out to people, show oneself, look at others, and communicate. The social factor is very significant in human nature. This is especially noticeable in large cities of the country, where shopping centers are turning into "mono-cities", where, in addition to trade, there are fitness rooms, restaurants, saunas, swimming pools, from services for the purchase of apartments to the manufacture of furniture for every taste.