An Australian Post report has found more than 1.3 million households shopped online for the first-time last year.
The Australia Post 2021 Inside Australian Online Shopping report, released on 31 March, delves into how the growth in e-commerce – up 57 per cent from the previous year – is affecting people’s shopping habits.
Ben Franzi, General Manager Parcel and Express Services at Australia Post says in 2020, online platforms became an essential shopping channel due to Australians spending more time at home in lockdowns.
“Australians spent an incredible $50.5 billion online last year, and e-commerce accounted for 16.3 per cent of total retail spend,” he says.
“Almost nine million households across the country bought something online as people shopped for the things they needed, avoiding large shopping centres and other busy retail settings.”
Of the 1.3 million first-time online shoppers, 93 per cent of their initial purchases were made between March and December.
By the end of the year, new shoppers had become regular shoppers, and regular shoppers had ramped up the frequency of their purchases.
“We found that of the 240,000 households who made an online purchase for the first time in April, half were regular shoppers by the end of the year,” Ben says.
“When it comes to seasoned shoppers, the average household increased its online shopping frequency by at least 10 purchases over the year and the range of categories and retailers they purchased from also expanded significantly.”
Ben says the popularity of online shopping is set to continue into 2021.
“We’re seeing around five million households continue to buy on a monthly basis which is 1.1 million more than the average in 2019,” he says.
Across the country in 2020, every state and territory recorded double digit growth – with Victoria leading the way with year-on-year purchase growth of 82 per cent, followed by New South Wales with 50.5 per cent.
The most purchased categories were Food and Liquor and Home and Garden products, each up 77 per cent and 70 per cent YOY respectively.
Top 10 locations for online shopping by volume in 2020
1. Point Cook, VIC
2. Cranbourne, VIC
3. Hoppers Crossing, VIC
4. Craigieburn, VIC
5. Doreen, VIC
6. Toowoomba, QLD
7. Liverpool, NSW
8. Rouse Hill, NSW
9. Ballarat, NSW
10. Gosford, NSW
Top 10 locations for new online shoppers in 2020
1. Sorrento, VIC
2. Blairgowrie, VIC
3. Rockbank, VIC
4. Cowes, VIC
5. Austral, NSW
6. Riverstone, NSW
7. Anglesea, VIC
8. Port MacDonnell, SA
9. Point Lonsdale, VIC
10. Wollert, VIC