Consumers Take To Online As Overseas Retailers Move Into OZ Market

In a real threat to high street retailers Australian consumers are increasingly embracing the digital economy, with 88 per cent of household Internet users now making online transactions, according to research by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Some 69 percent have made a purchase in the last six months.During the last 12 months ChannelNews has noticed that more global web sites like Amazon and major retail groups in the UK and the USA, are now shipping consumer electronics devices to Australian consumers. A US Amazon spoksperson said “Our business out of Australia has increased significantly during the past 12 months. We are doing extremly well with our Kindle sales and we are currently making more products available for Australian consumers”.

One major US retail chain recently told ChannelNews that in 2011 they intend to target the Australian market with a spinoff of their already successful US site. “We have to grow and as the US market is in decline it is logical that we look for International business online. Australia is a logical market to target however at this stage we do not want to show our hand. We anticipate that in a lot of cases we can deliver door to door in Australia up to 30% cheaper than what a Dick Smith or Harvey Norman are selling the same consumer electronics goods for. They said.

The ACMA eport which was released at a Communications Policy and Research Forum held in Sydney said that the most popular goods and services purchased by Australian consumers are: travel goods and services (56 per cent); event, concert or movie tickets (43pc) and household goods, such as furniture, electrical appliances and computer equipment (37pc).

In general, consumers with higher levels of education, income and in some form of employment were more likely to engage in e-commerce.

Some 54 per cent spent less than $1000 during the previous six months, while 43 per cent spent more. Of those, 11 per cent spent more than $5000.