Around 4 in 5 Australian households embrace online shopping in 2023

About 9.5 million households made online purchases in 2023.

A total of 80% of Australian households opted for online shopping in 2023, according to a report by the Australian Post.

The 2024 Inside Australian Online Shopping report revealed that 9.5 million households received parcels through virtual transactions, marking a 1.4% year-on-year increase.

“In 2023, the retail industry experienced a period of slower growth due to challenging economic conditions. But the convenience and ease of online shopping continued to attract consumers, with 9.5 million households making an online purchase in 2023,” said Paul Graham, group chief executive officer and managing director of Australia Post.

Australians collectively spent $63.6 billion online in 2023. Consumers chose smaller but more frequent online purchases. Spending on online marketplaces, especially variety stores, increased by 9.1%. The food and liquor category also saw a surge in online grocery purchases, contributing to overall online retail spending growth.

Since 2019, there has been a notable surge, with an additional 1.5 million households opting for digital shopping. On average, 5.6 million households indulged in online purchases monthly.

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Approximately 1 in 7 Australian households also now engage in weekly online purchases, the report noted.

Moreover, repeat purchasing habits also intensified, with households making 26-51 annual purchases witnessing a 2% uptick and those making over 52 annual purchases seeing a 1% increase.

Meanwhile, rural areas have emerged as the frontrunners in embracing online shopping, experiencing an 18% growth rate since 2019, surpassing the 16% growth observed in metropolitan regions.