One-in-two purchases are expected to be made digitally by 2030, according to new research released by Australia Post.
The survey, which consulted almost 1000 Australian small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) across, retail, manufacturing, logistics, financial services, education, health and utilities, found that 49% of the respondents expect online retail to reach parity with brick-and-mortar retail sales in 2030.
Australia Post general manager of segment development and marketing, Rebecca Burrows, said that consumer's purchasing behaviours have rapidly changed in recent years and retailers need to adapt to technological advances to remain competitive.
"People want an in-store experience but in the comfort of their own living room – they want to see, touch and try.
"Trends such as Augmented Reality (AR) are bridging the gap between online and in-store shopping and AI-driven personalisation and biometric payments, are all shaping the way we shop.
"Leading retailers are also embracing mobile commerce and voice-activated shopping.
"It is those in-tune with customers and willing to embrace the latest online technology trends that will have the winning strategy," she said.
The research results were released on May 01.