Online sales spike as Aussies stay in

Internet Retailing

2nd Jun 2017

Ebay is predicting a spike in online sales this month, as consumers take part in new behaviour known as ‘buy-bernation’.

The trend has grown as mobile apps make it convenient for people to order food, stream films and go shopping, without having to leave the house, as the temperature drops.

June sales have grown at 28 per cent over the past 5 years at eBay, and the marketplace giant expects consumers to spend millions more this year, buying more than 12.5 million items over the month.

Megan English, Ebay spokesperson and trend watcher, said: “End of financial year sales have always been strong but are becoming more and more lucrative for retailers who are able to cater to the newly evolved kinds of shoppers out there.

“It’s going to be important to deliver deals and savings that are contextual to winter and pop-culture moments, not just those items that traditionally perform well when discounted.”

Research conducted by YouGov on behalf of eBay shows that comfort is a priority for buyers in winter, with 37 per cent of the 1,000 Aussies surveyed this May saying they’re spending more on products for the home.

Thirty-nine per cent of respondents said they are investing in home furnishing and décor, while 31 per cent are buying home entertainment systems, media and technology items to keep themselves occupied whilst tucked up indoors.

Almost two thirds of Australians plan to stay in during the colder months and 42 per cent will shop online more often during this time.

Ebay predicts that in June alone, Australians will spend more than 19 million hours on site browsing, spending an average of 10 minutes per session.

A breakdown of the most active postcodes during the month of June suggests that the pattern of ‘buy-bernating’ aligns with the cold weather, with Werribee (Victoria), Cranbourne (Victoria), Hoppers Crossing (Victoria), Liverpool (NSW) and Frankston (Victoria) topping the list.

The marketplace is tapping into the behaviour with the launch of Hump Month, a site-wide sale for the whole month of June. The event kicked off on 1 June with a 12-hour flash sale.

Deals and offers are available on more than 68,000 items from small business sellers and leading brands like Myer, Target and The Good Guys, Ebay said.