Online retailing is expected to lead to the redistribution of employment opportunities, according to eBay.
However, the online auction website highlighted that traditional retailers are ignoring this fact.
eBay vice president Deborah Sharkey said the growth of online retailing does not mean overall net job losses but a redistribution of jobs in a new growth sector.
“We know that Australian’s prefer to buy from local online retailers, they trust them and want to ensure that their money benefits the local economy,” she said.
“Consequently, there is a huge opportunity for traditional retail players to adopt a multi channel strategy and offer consumers products online. This structural transformation of the retail sector will inevitably lead to a redistribution of employment opportunities for those involved in Australian retail.”
eBay said while fewer physical stores may mean fewer jobs, there will be an increase in other areas such as logistics and stock control.
An annual survey of Australian businesses, the online business index, recently revealed the largest 2,000 sellers’ turnover grew by 38 per cent in 2010. This growth has seen businesses predicting that staff numbers with growth from an average of 4.4 paid staff to six in the next 12 months.