Australian super-shoppers second biggest spenders worldwide

According to research by Worldpay, a group of Australian shoppers account for 92% of all spending on physical goods purchased online, despite the fact that they represent only 13% of the population.

These ‘super-shoppers’ spend large amounts of money via their mobile device. However, while people in other countries use the internet for fashion and electronics shopping, Australian super-shoppers are bucking the trend by going online for everyday necessities.

Worldpay reviewed the shopping habits of 2000 Australian consumers as part of its ‘Why do they pay that way?’ study. The study found that Australian super-shoppers were the world’s second biggest spenders, with 19% spending more than AU$340 on their last online purchase.

Although other markets such as the US and Germany cited clothing as their top online purchase, 21% of Australian super-shoppers went online to buy groceries, which was 8% above the global average. These statistics suggest that super-shoppers in Australia think of online shopping as a daily task, not just an occasional treat.

Phil Pomford, general manager of Asia Pacific global e-commerce at Worldpay, said, “The super-shopper phenomenon in Australia gives retailers much food for thought in terms of how to market to an audience who increasingly shop for everyday necessities online. With more than one in five Australian super-shoppers taking to the internet to buy groceries, it’s clear that these savvy consumers are using their spending power to make daily tasks more convenient. Retailers can respond to their needs by making the shopping and payment experience quicker and easier.”

Another important point for retailers to consider is that Australian consumers are some of the most mobile in the world. With 131 mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people, it was no surprise that 19% of super-shoppers in Australia used their mobile device. Australia’s overall spending via mobile is projected to more than double by 2019 from AU$7.8bn to AU$16.9bn.

“The move to mobile makes sense for super-shoppers — a group who are not necessarily super-rich, but who are sophisticated in how they shop,” said Pomford. “Super-shoppers take the time and trouble to research the best products and find the most competitive prices, and m-commerce gives them more opportunities to do this.”

Pomford believes that if super-shoppers have a difficult shopping experience or are unable to use their preferred payment option at checkout, they may abandon the purchase. The resultant revenue loss is especially detrimental in Australia, where super-shoppers are the second biggest spenders in the world. When a purchase is abandoned, retailers stand to lose an average AU$176.8 per sale.

Image credit: ©Maxsim/Dollar Photo Club