COVID-19 Review, Analysis and Future Research Directions: Implications for Marketers

Purpose: The purpose of this conceptual paper is to analyze, review, and articulate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marketers. While scholars have explored the impact of the pandemic on marketing, extant research on this topic has been disparate, unstructured, and disconnected. This paper addresses that need and contributes to the literature. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is a conceptual paper that addresses the impact of the pandemic caused to firms and retailers, and provides them with innovative and strategic directions to achieve a blueprint for success. Findings: The paper endeavors to address how e-commerce, digital technologies and tools, educational technology platforms, omnichannel strategies, corporate social responsibility strategies, and the ascendancy of minimalistic consumption can shape, boost, and bolster firm strategies through leveraging innovation and co-creation, leading to a long-term sustainable competitive advantage. Practical Implications: The paper provides guidelines and insights to firms and retailers regarding new consumer paradigms and areas, such as co-creation, minimalistic consumption, and e-commerce and digital technologies, that are particularly important in the pandemic era. In doing so, the paper provides relevant actionable, practical, and pragmatic implications for managers at firms, along with future research directions for scholars and academicians. Originality: This is one of the first conceptual papers that holistically and comprehensively addresses several germane issues that are faced by firms and retailers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper not only identifies these critical issues, but it also provides directions for growth, along with recommendations on how firms can better invest their resources in pertinent areas that provide consumer satisfaction, thereby leading to success.