Research conducted by Australia Post has revealed that Australia’s love affair with online shopping is continuing with more than $27.5 billion spent over the web in 2018.
This represents a 24 per cent increase on the previous year.
Australia Post’s annual Inside Australian Online Shopping Report shows the online goods spend for 2018 reached 10 per cent of total retail — two years faster than expected.
General Manager for Parcels and Express Services at Australia Post, Ben Franzi said the report also showed that 73 per cent of households shopped online in 2018 — some 7.6 million in total.
“Australians are getting online more and more, and changing the face of shopping,” Mr Franzi said.
“With it, they are also expecting faster service and delivery – with next day deliveries growing by 31.7 per cent, with more than 62 per cent of these fashion related purchases.”
He also said the way people were shopping online was also changing, with smartphones increasingly being the medium of choice.
“Use of the smartphone to make online purchases increased 28 per cent for the year, to now make up more than 26 per cent of all purchases,” he said.
“It now sits comfortably alongside the laptop (32.8 per cent) and desktop (27.3 per cent), both of which fell for the year.
“Fashion continues to be the leading category, accounting for more than a third (35 per cent) of all purchases, with more than 20 per cent growth year on year,” he said.
“Variety stores, health and beauty and homewares and appliances also attracted lots of online shoppers.”
Australia Post’s 76-page report Inside Australian Online Shopping Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
