Fashion and accessories are the most popular summer shopping category for Australians, even as cost-of-living pressures push shoppers to cut back on Christmas gifts.
New research from AliExpress, conducted by Pureprofile, found 38 per cent of Australians named fashion and accessories as a summer shopping category, ahead of beauty and personal care (35 per cent) and tech, electronics and phone accessories (28 per cent). Women were significantly more likely to shop the category than men, at 45 per cent compared with 31 per cent.
However, shoppers are hunting for deals. Fashion and accessories ranked third among the categories Australians were most likely to seek a bargain or discount on (29 per cent), just behind tech (31 per cent) and beauty and personal care (30 per cent).
Fashion did not feature among the top four summer categories Australians were most willing to spend more on, which was led by beauty and personal care (29 per cent).
Price was the biggest motivator for trying a new brand or retailer, cited by 54 per cent of respondents. This was followed by better quality (48 per cent), rising to 59 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds, and bigger discounts or promotions (44 per cent).
Customer reviews and ratings were the strongest trust signal when considering a new online retailer (31 per cent), closely followed by value for money (30 per cent). Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 23 per cent were most interested in durable materials and craftsmanship.
Black Friday was the sales event Australians were most likely to wait for, at 46 per cent, ahead of Christmas and Boxing Day sales (34 per cent) and end-of-season sales (26 per cent). Some 22 per cent reported they don’t wait for sales, although this varied sharply by age, from 5 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds to 44 per cent of 65 to 74-year-olds.
Offshore retailers also stand to benefit, with 33 per cent of Australians open to shopping with overseas retailers for Christmas gifts and festive essentials if the saving is significant, and a further 15 per cent already doing so.
Gifts for family and friends were the first Christmas purchase Australians planned to cut back on, at 59 per cent, rising to 70 per cent among 45 to 54-year-olds.
Alongside the research, AliExpress has launched its Elite Program, which offers qualifying members an additional 5 per cent discount on eligible products across its Brand+, AliExpress Choice and Local+ collections. The discount can be stacked on top of 11.11 sale prices during the platform’s Global Shopping Festival, running November 1-18.
Free delivery was the biggest incentive for Australians to join a loyalty program (23 per cent), followed by exclusive discounts (20 per cent) and points redeemable for money off (18 per cent).
AliExpress ANZ country manager Alfy Zhang said the research showed Australians are most focused on the value offered by brands and retailers in the current economic climate, and that summer can be an expensive season for consumers.
“We’re keen to tap into the excitement when unboxing a new delivery or gift and the possibilities that can come with this," Zhang said. "Whether it inspires a new hobby, an outdoor adventure or a get-together with friends. From brands like Li-Ning and Vention to health and wellness from Homart, we want to explore the connection between what people buy and the experiences they create.
The research was released in conjunction with the platform’s Unbox Summer, Watch Sydney Open Up campaign, which includes activations across Crunch Fitness’ nine Sydney clubs in the coming weeks.
The findings are based on a survey of 1,020 Australians aged 18 and over, conducted by research provider Pureprofile.