COVID-19 drives shoppers online.

 

Despite store closures and self-isolation due to COVID-19, online retailing saw the largest month-on-month growth in the history of NAB’s online retail sales index in April. 

 

Growing 16.2 per cent on what was seen in March, and 58.5 per cent on April 2019, NAB recorded sales growth in all eight measured categories.

 

“It seems that online activity by category has moved somewhat in phases over the past three months, initially led by strong growth in grocery and liquor as panic buying took hold. While that category continues apace, a focus on home improvement and working from home were clear gains in March and April,” NAB chief economist Alan Oster said. 

 

NAB’s figures have been supported by similar reports from PayPal and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

 

“The three most populous states represent just over 80 per cent of all online sales, slightly above their share of the population. Of these three states, online sales growth in Victoria and NSW grew most rapidly, with the smaller spend share state Tasmiania leading overall growth,” Oster said.