The Cisco AppDynamics Seasonal Shopping Pulse Survey 2023 reveals that the shift towards online shopping continues to grow in Australia, with one-third (33%) of respondents anticipating doing more holiday shopping online this season than the previous one.
Last year, participants reported that 42% of their total Black Friday and Cyber Monday expenditure was online. This year, Australian consumers plan to do almost half (48%) of their shopping digitally. The consumers increasing their online shopping this year expect to make almost three in four (72%) of their purchases online.
When asked why they are more inclined to move to online shopping, the top reason was for avoiding the last-minute rush in physical stores (31%), closely followed by more choice (30%) and greater flexibility and convenience (24%). One in five (20%) cited a lack of time for extensive holiday or Christmas shopping trips.
Other reasons included the ability to shop during work hours (14%), a general preference for the digital shopping experience (10%) and fondness for innovative digital services (9%). Despite being more inclined to shop online, consumers also said that a good digital experience is critical to determining if they will truly purchase online.
Close to two-thirds (61%) said they would feel anxious and angry if the online services they use for holiday shopping failed, and a significant 72% stated they would be more inclined to return to in-store shopping if faced with challenges during online shopping.