New data from Australia Post has revealed that August 2020 was the biggest month in Australian online shopping history. The number of online purchases for the month were up 8.9% when compared with the 2019 pre-Christmas peak and 5.8% higher than April 2020, the previous highest growth period.
Nicole Sheffield, Australia Post executive general manager, community and consumer, said Victoria had become Australia’s online shopping capital, with the state home to the nation’s five top online shopping locations in August.
“Point Cook in Melbourne’s west holds the number one spot, but suburbs like Craigieburn and Doreen in the outer-north made the top five list for the first time last month. What’s even more interesting is in 2019, just four Victorian post codes made it into Australia’s top 10 online shopping locations; Victorian post codes now hold six of those spots for the six months from March-August this year,” Sheffield said.
“In July and August more than a third of all Australian online purchases were made in Victoria, which speaks to the impact Stage 4 restrictions have had on the local retail landscape.”
According to Australia Post, the boom is continuing with growth for the second week of September up 79% nationally, and 145% in Victoria, a trend set to continue with the key online sales period and Christmas fast approaching.
Meanwhile, a survey by Australian pickup and drop-off parcel provider Hubbed showed that over 50% of consumers in the country would appreciate retailers offering an after-hours delivery service to pickup locations.
The Hubbed survey – conducted across a nationally representative panel of 1,010 Australian shoppers – found that click-and-collect is among the top three retailer offerings that would motivate consumers to shop more online (chosen by 54% of respondents). Also ranked highly by customers, free shipping would motivate 74% of Australians to shop online more often, and improved website experience with more in-depth descriptions, images or videos of products would encourage 54% use e-commerce more regularly.