Three Quarters (72%) of Australians to Shop Online this Christmas

November 30th, 2011

Appliance News

A recent study on Australians’ shopping behaviour around the Christmas season has revealed that almost three quarters (72%) of Australians will conduct some of their Christmas shopping online.

Almost 20% of Australians surveyed said much – if not all – of their shopping would take place at online retail outlets this festive season and a further 52% said some of their Christmas shopping would take place online. Only 16% of Australians surveyed indicated that none of their shopping would take place online and a further 12% weren’t sure how they would shop for presents this Christmas.

Music or books (46%), fashion (36%) small gifts (28%) appliances (13%) and TV or stereo (12%) were the most popular shopping categories online*.

The Galaxy Research survey for Appliances Online was conducted via an online research panel of 1019 Australians aged 18 to 64 years.

Our CEO John Winning said consumers are set to receive some great deals online as the dramatic online growth over the past 12 months re-writes the rules of retail. “Over the past 12 months, the online retail marketplace has become increasingly competitive, meaning consumers will benefit from fantastic deals available online this Christmas.”

“Despite the popularity of online shopping, our research suggests 17% of Australians remain a bit nervous, or are not confident about shopping online. Therefore the Christmas season represents an opportunity for online retailers to impress consumers and do everything to ensure shoppers that buying online is convenient, cost-effective and hassle-free,” he said.

The survey found the majority of Australians are extremely assured about shopping online, with four in five (83%) of Australians confident about shopping at online retail outlets. This sentiment was consistent across all age groups. Only 5% of Australians were not at all confident about shopping online.

Winning said despite the positive outlook for online retailers, it is no time to become complacent. “Retaining customer loyalty online will be the biggest trend in the next 12 months, and it’s important for consumers to have the best online experience possible, starting this Christmas.”

“Given the popularity of shopping online consumers should do a quick 5-step check before buying from an online site to help avoid disappointment this Christmas.”

Our 5-step check when shopping online this festive season:

 1.       Read testimonials – web reviews are the quickest and easiest way to evaluate whether an online retailer has a good reputation. Check out a company’s Facebook site and search for comments online, because if a person has a bad experience they are sure to write about it.

2.      Check delivery times – most online retailers have a delivery calculator or some information available for you to help ensure you receive the product before Christmas.

3.       Check delivery costs – before you make your final decision, check delivery costs. Appliances Online offers free, next day delivery to metropolitan areas – you don’t want unexpected costs added to the shopping cart at the last minute.

4.      If in doubt, call – online retailers shouldn’t go online so they don’t have to talk to their customers. If you have a question but can’t find an answer online, try calling them. Many online retailers have customer service representatives who can answer your questions.

5.      Make sure the site is secure – before entering your credit card details, make sure the website uses SSL (secure sockets layer) security – or that https:// appears at the start of the URL.

Winning said: “Our aim is to impress every customer. Even though we are an online retailer, our model is one that builds old-fashioned customer service into every aspect of the shopping experience. Being online doesn’t mean you don’t have to deal with our customers, in fact we want to create loyal relationships that last into the next generation,” he said.

Where will you be doing your Christmas shopping this year?

* Galaxy Research conducted the national survey over the weekend Friday November 18 to Monday November 21 2011. The study was conducted nationwide among 1,019 Australians, aged 18-64 years. Approximately two hundred interviews were conducted in each state and the total was weighted to national proportions. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by gender, age and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates.