Australia Post report highlights latest online shopping trends.

 

Australians spent more than $63 billion on online goods in 2023, down 1.2 per cent on the previous year.

 

Online shopping has remained largely flat with less spent online compared to last year, but the number of online purchases increased as Aussies turned to smaller, more frequent buys. 

 

Australia Post’s 2024 Inside Australian Online Shopping Report found cost-of-living pressures drove more cautious spending in 2023 and also highlighted a clear generational gap in spending habits. 

 

Australians spent the most on home and garden ($16 billion), a category which traditionally has more expensive items like furniture. The two categories that showed growth were variety stores and food and liquor. 

 

Australia Post executive general manager parcel, post and e-commerce services Gary Starr said: “Australians are shopping online more often, with one in seven households shopping weekly. While basket sizes were smaller this year, the increasing trend in repeat shopping highlights the reliance on e-commerce in everyday life. 9.5 million households received a parcel in 2023, that’s eight in 10 households making an online purchase and over 1.5 million more Aussies shopping online compared to 2019.

 

“The success of sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday ultimately contributed to Australia Post achieving its biggest eCommerce peak period ever, delivering nearly 100 million parcels in November and December,” Starr said.