The pandemic didn’t affect the economy as much as most people expected it would. In fact, quite a lot of industries found interesting and innovative ways to survive this particular situation. Not only that, some of them even managed to use the COVID-19 pandemic as the foundation on which to develop/grow their business platforms.
As such, we now have a lot of businesses and companies that took off in the past year, some of which even became global phenomena. Let’s take a closer look at the industries that were able to use the pandemic to their advantage!
1. The CBD Industry
One of the most popular industries in 2023 was, without any doubt, the one related to CBD products. As people experienced increasing levels of anxiety and stress, they had to find something that helps to relieve such symptoms. Naturally, as we all know by now, CBD is great at fighting stress.
On top of that, there’s also a great variety of products for people to choose from. If you visit this website, for example, you’ll definitely find something that’s suited for why. This is one of the main reasons why CBD took off!
Initially, people believed that it can be only smoked, upon hearing about it. However, CBD businesses soon introduced them to topical creams, gummies, tinctures, oils, and so on.
The best part is that, given the doctor’s recommendation, even pets and children can use such products.
2. Delivery Services
Quarantine regulations are still a thing, even in 2023. This means that certain people – depending on location and so on – might not be able to leave their homes whenever they want. Therefore, it goes without saying that home delivery services are pretty much on the top of their game right now.
This particular industry took off so hard that one could see delivery job ads on their social media for months on end. The demand for delivery is bigger than the number of employees, even within the most developed companies.
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that the job is paid well enough, as even people with full-time jobs decided to take on this particular job. However, the delivery service industry benefits mostly students, fresh graduates, and maybe even retired people. As long as you have a car, bike, or scooter and some free time on your hands, you can be a part of this booming industry.
3. Video Game Companies
Both video game developers and publishers have seen a significant increase in the number of their sales. After all, it did seem like more people than usual knew about the launch of the latest gaming console from Sony, for example.
Even though a rather secluded industry, video game companies were one of the top earners in 2023 and this seems to be a continuing trend in 2023 as well. People spend more money on video games and, since remote work is now a common thing, they have more time to play – and spend money on – games.
At the same time, quite a lot of those that were left without a job mid-pandemic and had a passion for video games have started their own indie game development studio as well.
Those that have released their video game during the pandemic have also experienced an increase in the number of sales and popularity.
4. Tutoring/Teaching Services
The sudden move towards the online environment also forced people to understand that they need to learn how to survive – namely when it comes to working from home. On top of that, as many lost their jobs due to the pandemic, they now had the perfect motivation to learn more about web surfing.
Needless to say, online tutoring and teaching services have been experiencing increased activity during the pandemic. In fact, quite a lot of platforms come with basic Excel, social media marketing, and content writing courses, to name a few, for free!
Moreover, the fact that free and cheap courses for a variety of skills are readily available online also prompted people to try different things – for both hobbies and careers. People also noticed how modern online jobs are often paid as good as or even better than their conventional jobs (at times even despite a 5-10-year-old career).
5. Online Retailing/eStores
This type of industry was already experiencing pretty much constant evolution, even before the pandemic. However, COVID-19 really helped it push its boundaries and get among the best when it comes to retail sales.
Given that most countries worldwide faced compulsory quarantine, it goes without saying that people had to shop online, not only for gadgets and such but for groceries and day-to-day use items as well. This promoted the growth of all types of online retailers, both local and international.
In fact, even those running the most simple of businesses had to resort to some way of doing business in the online environment. For example, some farmers that used to supply the markets or convenience stores now have their own dedicated platform through which they sell and deliver all-natural goods for the right customers.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, the industries that took off the most during the pandemic are mainly those that can make people feel better during these harsh times. The job market is not as broken as some expected, whereas the levels of stress and anxiety are on the rise – mainly due to the quarantine lifestyle.
If the pandemic goes on, the first three industries mentioned could simply keep on growing until everybody knows what CBD is, everyone enjoys only home-delivered meals, and engages in gaming sessions or online teaching activities!
It is also worth mentioning that, due to the same pandemic, a lot of conventional brick & mortar businesses learned how to focus more on the online environment. Even though they’re not shutting down their HQ in favor of an online platform, they clearly get to learn some important things related to marketing, online advertisement, brand social media, and so on.