Aussies, Kiwis to spend $236 million online on December 13

Internet Retailing

29th Nov 2016

Online retailers can expect to see holiday shopping reach its peak on December 13, when Australians and New Zealanders are forecast to spend $236 million online in a single day, a 60 per cent increase on a typical day’s spending during the Christmas period.

This is according to the 2016 Holiday Shopping Shopping Predictions: Europe and Asia Pacific report from Adobe Digital Insights.

In total, Aussies and Kiwis will spend $10.7 billion in online purchases over the Christmas period, a 12 per cent increase year-on-year. The report identifies the growth of mobile commerce as a key factor in the rise of online sales.

Australians’ willingness to shop on mobile devices has increased, with 41 per cent claiming to be more comfortable with smartphone security and privacy and almost two thirds saying their uptake is due to improvements in the user experience.

Furthermore, 48 per cent of Australians believe apps now offer a better experience for perusing potential gifts than a traditional web browser, while the same number feel better mobile payment options are now available.

This will result in over 25 per cent of all online Christmas period revenue coming from purchases made on smartphones and tablets, while 45 per cent of browsing will also come from these devices, according to the report.

“This data speaks plainly – the future of Christmas shopping is online, and it’s increasingly mobile. In fact, in Australia and New Zealand, retail is one of the leading sectors for smartphone traffic and one of the fastest growing sectors for average mobile conversion year-on-year growth,” Chris Skelton, managing director for Adobe Australia and New Zealand, said, citing data from the company’s Asia Pacific Best of the Best report.

“Australian retailers are optimising mobile content and creating engaging and personalised experiences so that users will be compelled to purchase more on their mobile devices. More and more, Australian consumers have no need to push through the crowds at busy brick and mortar stores, as they are aware that better deals, a wider selection of products and cheap home delivery are all available from the device in their pocket,” Skelton said.

Adobe’s data has also revealed Australians typically browse 3-4 websites before making a purchase, and in 2016 it appears much of that browsing will be done from the work desk, with a sharp increase forecast in the number of Australians using work hours to do their Christmas shopping online.

Similarly, social media’s integration into the lives of Australians continues, with its influence on purchasing decisions increasing 450 per cent from 2015.

Marketers should also note the significant drop in the number of consumers who do not want to be approached in the build up to Christmas, with only 21 per cent of Australians objecting to being targeted, compared with 29 per cent in 2015.

In fact, Australians prefer to find bargains through retailer emails and advertisements than their own friends and family, according to Adobe.

Emails direct from retailers and advertisements triggered by searches for specific products or services rank equal first at 26 per cent among Australians as the best online sources for shopping deals, trouncing in-person conversations with family and friends, which received a mere 15 per cent.

With 65 per cent of Australia’s online shoppers claiming internet retailers give them access to better deals, and half citing the convenience of home delivery at no extra cost as a deciding factor, traditional bricks and mortar retailers may find it harder to compete.