Digital catalogues drive in-store shopping boom amongst Australians

98% of Australians still shop in-store.

Digital catalogues are rapidly transforming the way Australians shop, with new research revealing their growing influence on in-store visits and purchasing decisions, according to a research from Shopfully and NielsenIQ.

Despite the rise of e-commerce, physical stores continue to dominate Australian shopping habits. The study found that 98% of consumers still make purchases in-store, with only 2% identifying as online-only shoppers.

Whilst 81% of Australians begin their shopping journey online, catalogues — particularly digital ones — are playing an increasingly important role in decision-making. More than a third (37%) of shoppers now rely on catalogues to plan and prepare their purchases.

Practical motivations top the list, with 60% of shoppers using catalogues to find promotions and deals, 45% using them to decide which stores to visit, and 43% using them to organise their shopping lists.

These findings highlight the continued value of catalogues in helping shoppers feel informed and intentional before entering a store.

The research shows that digital catalogues are not only replacing printed versions but also deepening consumer engagement.

Nearly 44% of Australians now prefer digital catalogues, citing convenience, accessibility, and richer content as key advantages.

Usage is accelerating: 39% of shoppers say they’ve increased their use of digital catalogues in the past year, and 89% of those intend to maintain the habit.

On average, Australians now browse digital catalogues 2.9 times per week — a 38% increase since 2023 — spending about 9.4 minutes per session, surpassing the 8.9 minutes typically spent with printed catalogues.

According to the study, 71% of consumers say they “always” or “sometimes” refer to digital catalogues when deciding what to buy, compared to 60% for printed ones.

The impact is particularly strong in key retail sectors such as grocery, department stores, electronics, and health & beauty, where promotions and pre-purchase planning drive consumer decisions.

About 49% of shoppers also use catalogues to plan store visits, proving they are no longer just advertising tools but active drivers of in-store traffic. Straw said catalogues, especially digital ones, have become essential marketing tools.

The study, commissioned by Shopfully, a global leader in Drive-to-Store technology, and conducted by NielsenIQ, surveyed 1,000 Australian consumers to understand how shoppers plan, browse, and decide where to shop.