Aussies scour bricks and clicks to save at the checkout Three in five shoppers are looking for greater value as wallets tighten

SYDNEY – 15 August, 2023 - Aussies are finding new ways to save as cost-of-living pressures continue to bite, according to new data from Amazon Australia’s 'Retail Trends' report. The report found almost two-thirds (62.5%)1 of Aussies are comparing in-store and online to find the best value for money as cost pressures increase. The report shows this is clearly impacting how Australian retailers interact with their customers, with almost 85% of consumers expressing concerns about inflation.

The research, which was produced by leading data and analytics company GlobalData, highlighted the blurred lines of bricks and mortar and the online experience. This trend towards ‘omnichannel retail’ or ‘bricks and clicks’ is when a customer uses more than one channel in a single shopping journey. For example, a customer may buy online and collect a product from a store.

“We’re seeing that as cost pressures hit home, Australians are increasingly responding by shopping online and offline in search of value and convenience,” said Janet Menzies, Country Manager, Amazon Australia.

“For example, half of all Australians are browsing products online before going in-store to purchase them, while a similar percentage are looking at online reviews and comparison sites before buying in-store.

“This trend represents an opportunity for retailers of all sizes to innovate and meet customer needs through omnichannel experiences in everything from personalisation to click and collect. For Amazon, this research is important because we are relentlessly focused on customers and how we can be part of the solution to household cost pressures, while also empowering local businesses to expand their omnichannel presence,” Menzies said.

According to Neil Saunders, Managing Director of report authors, GlobalData, the research shows that omnichannel retail spend has increased 47.8% since 2019. It also projects that this trend will continue as brands invest in integrated strategies to meet consumer demand for hybrid, seamless shopping journeys both in-store and online:

“As we move beyond the online retail ‘spike’ from the pandemic, Australians have embraced a return to in-store shopping, and this remains the predominant channel to buy products. But in the current economic environment, online is a major driver of value across the whole retail sector, for example through price comparison and reviews,” said Saunders.

“Omnichannel retail could unlock significant opportunities for both customers and retailers from a price, product, and customer experience perspective. Price and product are key, but experience is king as shoppers are increasingly looking for options when buying the goods they want and need. Retailers have expanded their online presence to allow shoppers to browse anytime and anywhere, while maintaining a physical presence that allows buyers to choose how and when they get their purchases. It means customers who need their purchases instantly can click and collect or shop in store, or they can shop online and have products delivered conveniently to their front door,” said Saunders.

1. GlobalData conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,500 Australian consumers in July 2023.

The full GlobalData ‘Retail Trends’ report can be found here.

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