Around 200,000 more Australian consumers shopped online in H1 2022: report

Nearly 84% of consumers have used online shopping platforms in the past six months.

Despite the reopening of physical stores in Australia, around 200,000 more consumers are still using online shopping platforms in the first six months of 2022 compared to last year, according to a report from GlobalData.

The report noted that over 9 million Australian households shopped online during FY2022 ending 30 June 2022, showing that a trend of increased shift to online purchasing that started with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic continues even now.

In a survey conducted by GlobalData, nearly 84% of the Australian consumers reported having shopped online in the past six months. Meanwhile only less than 7% indicated that they have never shopped online.

“Simplicity and speed, security, and paying in installments are some of the key factors driving online shopping,” GlobalData said.

The Australian e-commerce market is estimated to register a growth of 13.0% to reach $50.2b (A$69.0b) in 2022.

E-commerce sales in Australia is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% between 2022 and 2026 to reach $74.9b (A$103.1b) in 2026. The sales were $44.4b (A$61.1b) in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% between 2018 – 2021.

“Australia’s e-commerce market has been witnessing high growth over the past few years, supported by growing internet penetration, availability of secure online payment systems and an increase in the number of online shoppers,” said Ravi Sharma, the lead banking and payments analyst at GlobalData.

In terms of payment tools usage, debit, credit and charge cards collectively accounted for a 26.3% share in total e-commerce transaction value in Australia in 2022. The value-added benefits associated with these cards have encouraged their use, GlobalData said.

In addition, buy now, pay later is a popular payment option among Australians particularly millennials, the report added.

“The pandemic has brought a permanent shift in consumer buying behaviour, pushing them towards online, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming months,” Sharma said.