Australia is among
six leading online shopping destinations for international shoppers - with clothing and accessories a top category.
According to a report by Paypal and Nielsen, international demand for Australian goods will grow from AUD$5.0 billion in 2013 to $AU16.1 billion by 2018, with key markets including America and China.
Modern Spice Routes: The Cultural Impact of Cross-Border
Shopping analysed cross border online shopping across
six major markets including Australia, the United States, the United
Kingdom, Germany, mainland China, and Brazil.
The report predicts more than 40 million American shoppers will spend
$AU4.2 billion on Australian products by 2018, up from 34 million and
$AU2.1 billion this year.
By 2018, there will be nearly 36 million Chinese shoppers spending AUD$10.7 billion with Australian retailers.
Top purchase categories across the six markets include clothes, shoes
and accessories ($12.5 billion); health and beauty products ($7.6
billion); personal electronics ($6.0 billion); computer hardware ($6.0
billion); jewellery, gems and watches ($5.8 billion); and home
electronics ($5.4 billion).
Paypal president David Marcus said the shopping trend could open new doors for Australian retailers.
"Our message to merchants is if you are
looking for new ways to grow your sales, especially in an economic
downturn, start selling directly to 94 million cross-border shoppers in
these six markets and own a piece of this $105 billion market."
It is predicted 39 per cent of Chinese cross border shoppers buy from
Australian websites and will spend AUD $2.3 billion on Australian goods
in 2013.
Some 18 per cent of American shoppers buy from Australian websites and will purchase AUD $2.1 billion of Australian goods in 2013.
Around 13
per cent of British consumers shop on Australian websites and will spend
AUD$486 million on local goods in 2013.
PayPal Australia managing director Jeff Clementz said Australian retail export is already a AUD$5.0 billion annual market.
"Australian brands are particularly popular within the Asia Pacific
Region, with a higher percentage of Chinese shoppers buying from
Australia (39 per cent) than vice versa (31 per cent).
"Nearly one out of five Americans buy from an Australian website, and we expect to see these trends remain strong.”