SYDNEY – Music to the ears of Australian e-tailers this Christmas comes as a report by MasterCard shows consumers preferring to spend their online dollars locally. The MasterCard report, which flies in the face of many other studies, found that 98 percent of Australians look for local retailers when it comes to their online shopping, and provides welcome news for local online retailers this Christmas.
Top of the wish lists for online shopping this year are books and DVDs, with nine in 10 Australians considering an online purchase in this category this Christmas.
Mastercard’s report comes just weeks after an NAB online retail report showed Australians spent $12.3 billion online in the year to October 31.MasterCard Australia country manager Andrew Cartwright says Aussies are keen to buy from local retailers – as long as the price is right.
“People shop online for so many reasons – the convenience of shopping from your desk, the efficiency of getting it done without the crowds, the seemingly endless range,” Cartwright said.
“But increasingly, the public is doing their Christmas shopping online because they are seeing very serious cost savings. This study shows that consumers want to shop locally, if they can get the same value they get from overseas retailers.
“The MasterCard study found that Australians shop locally for several reasons.”About 59 percent of the people we asked said faster delivery was a key driver to ‘Buy Australian’, while 46 percent said it was important to deal with retailers they know and trust,” Cartwright said.
“So local retailers have the advantage over overseas competition in delivery and after-sales service, but international online retailers are overwhelmingly favoured when it comes to price.”
The report shows 85 percent are prompted to shop overseas because it’s cheaper. Nearly two thirds of respondents also claim overseas online retailers offer a better range.
“Aussies love a bargain, and should have the freedom to shop around and secure the best deal possible. The price obstacle is a difficult one to overcome for local retailers, but competition is the key to delivering customer satisfaction to Australians,” said Cartwright.
– Other key findings: 89 percent of adult Australians (or about 12.6 million) have shopped online in the last 12 months; and two out of every three Australians shop online at least once a month.
