Australian shoppers will reach for their smartphones when Click Frenzy, the biggest online shopping day of the year, kicks off the holiday shopping season on November 18, with spending predicted to top $189 million in just 24 hours.
The rise of the iPhone and Android phones as genuine shopping platforms means Australians are among the world leaders in browsing and buying through their phones on the run.
That is according to the 2014 Adobe Digital Index Holiday Shopping Prediction, which looks at billions of transactions around the world.
It reveals Australians’ love of shopping on their phones is just behind Japan, Ireland and the US.
By the end of the year 8 per cent of all online sales in Australia are predicted to be conducted through phones, with the increasing ease of payment methods making buying on the run more convenient.
Phones are also gaining rapidly on tablets as the preferred mobile shopping device, with growth in shopping on tablets stagnant at around 11 per cent year-on-year.
While there has been a burst in the number of online stores offering consumers wide choice, Australians are more likely to do their shopping during the holiday season with established retail players who have expanded from their bricks and mortar high street stores into the digital world.
The research has also revealed Australian retailers are the fourth most dependent in the world on the holiday sales season for online revenue, relying on it to deliver almost a quarter of total annual online sales in just a few short weeks, behind retailers in Brazil, the US and the Netherlands.
Adobe President Asia Pacific Paul Robson said the emergence of mobile as a shopping hub for Australians was the result of the improved capabilities of phones and retailers needed to keep pace with consumer expectations.
“This year we expect to see online spending grow by more than 15 per cent in Australia,” Robson said.
“As a percentage of total annual online sales, spending by Australians will be ahead of countries such as China, Canada, the UK and Germany, which shows just how important it is becoming to have engaging online retail experiences which come alive on a range of devices.
“As smartphone screens become bigger and mobile data connections improve, it’s imperative that retailers now offer the very best experience on phones. Whether at home, commuting and even when walking through the mall, shoppers are showing they want to do business with the brands they love through their phones.”
The research found that the ease of use of mobile payment tools, such as Apple Pay and PayPal is also giving consumers greater confidence when buying through their phones and tablets.
Click Frenzy has become Australia’s biggest online shopping day and launches the Christmas shopping season on November 18 with retailers attracting shoppers with thousands of offers.
The Adobe Digital Index predicts that Australians will spend an average of $6.50 per person during Click Frenzy.