Key Points
- Australia Post recorded a rise in online shopping since last year, partially due to sales and promotions.
- Shoppers are more savvy and comparing costs amid a cost of living crunch.
- An average 5.7 million Australian households shopped online each month this quarter.
The data, released on Tuesday, said end-of-financial-year bargains helped boost online shopping, with EOFY sales up 4.4 per cent on last year.
A similar EOFY trend was reflected in recent figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which found a retail rise of 0.6 per cent in May due to promotions and discounts.
Source: SBS News
ABS head of business statistics Robert Ewing said while early promotions lured in shoppers, retail spending remained stagnant and had risen only 1.5 per cent since May 2023.
“Retail businesses continue to rely on discounting and sales events to stimulate discretionary spending, following restrained spending in recent months,” Ewing said.
Shrinking shopping baskets
Australia Post’s post and parcel general manager Gary Starr said spending habits had changed, with smaller and more frequent purchases.
State by state
South Australia had a 2.3 per cent increase while Western Australia had a 0.4 per cent increase. Purchases decreased in the ACT by 1.2 per cent, Victoria by 1 per cent and NSW by 0.3 per cent.