It is now a fact. Australians really have developed love for online shopping. Statistics show that in a period of 6 months, 87% of online Australians have been buying online (Roy Morgan). Australians find it very convenient. They love the discounts and free shipping offered by online stores. If Aussies can find use valid coupon and promo codes then they will save even further! Some people are even buying online now through their mobile phones and devices. Market trends show indication that the number of mobile online buyers will increase very significantly. In turn retail websites will become much better at handling customers looking to purchase via mobile.
In the same survey conducted by Consumers Products at Roy Morgan Research, the overall number of Australians buying online has increased from 5.7 million to over 6.7 million in a period of three years. It is a sign that Australian consumers online shopping habits are evolving. Some product categories are growing while others are declining or plateauing. View the special info-graph below that shows what Australians are buying most online. Also pointed out are some very interesting facts about how important online now is when Australians make any purchase.
Top 4 things Australians Shop Online
1) Entertainment and Leisure
40% of Australian shoppers in an average four weeks, are buying movie, events and concert tickets. This category continues to be on the top of the list.
2) Reading Materials
Around 2 million people are buying books and other reading materials online.
3) Fashion
Around 2 million people are buying clothes, shoes and accessories online.
4) Food and Beverages
This category used to be on the top list. Last year, 577,000 Australians bought alcohol. The number represents more than one-third of the total consumers who bought from the Food and Alcohol category.
Other categories such as electronics, travel and automotive are gaining serious momentum. Australian retail is generally hopeful that all categories will grow because Australian online shoppers are now buying locally. They have discovered that many overseas websites do not ship to Australia. Also with currency conversions overseas goods might be more expensive. The launching of super fast parcel-forwarding service of Australia Post has encouraged them to buy locally. Some websites now offer free shipping through Australia Post and private couriers. So delivery costs are no longer a consideration factor when deciding between online and going to a physical store.