MEN who can’t stand traipsing around stores are leading an online charge that has crowned Australians the world’s most frequent internet shoppers.
A study has found a quarter of Aussie web users are buying goods and services online at least once a week, eclipsing Europe, the US and other countries, the Herald Sun reported.
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation at Swinburne Institute report also shows biggest online spending growth among consumers aged over 50.
Swinburne researcher Scott Ewing denied Aussies spending an average $2472 a year online was the main cause of the retail sector’s woes.
“This doesn’t mean that Australians are necessarily spending more money online than in retail shops . . . but it does indicate more people are going online to buy things, more often,” Mr Ewing said.
Mr Ewing, who buys camping and cycling gear online, said women usually enjoyed the social side of bricks and mortar shopping more.
“Blokey” stereos, televisions, computers, electrical gadgets and video games were also considered easier to buy online than female favourites such as clothes.
The study comes as many local mainstream retailers face sluggish sales and competition from expanding foreign giants such as Zara, Costco, IKEA and Topshop.
A separate Deloitte Access Economics report reveals Australians are stocking up on medicines, cosmetics and toiletries while almost every other retail category including clothes and shoes slid backwards in the June quarter.
Warning of another year of pain, it notes newsagents and chemists are some of the only shops bucking the slowdown.
Business analyst IBISWorld’s Australian general manager Karen Dobie said low interest rates and unemployment and rising incomes, made Australia attractive to international brands.
Local hardware outfit Bunnings was also expanding, and Woolworths planned to open 15 Masters stores within a year, she said.
The online retail survey of 1000 adults found most consumers preferred local websites and turned to the internet for both cheaper prices and variety.
Men spent an average $242 a month compared with $165 for women.
“One bit of good news for retailers is that more Australians look for products online and then go and buy them at a store than they do the reverse,” Mr Ewing said.
Retailers could capitalise by combining offline with online stores.