A third of Australians turn to online shopping for Christmas: Savvy survey
According to a new survey of 1,000 Australians regarding their spending habits this Christmas commissioned by Savvy, about a third of respondents said they will do most of their shopping for 2021 online.
As for the economic impact of COVID-19 restrictions, 33% say it will have an insignificant impact on their spending habits, while 30% are neutral. Only 9% said COVID impacted them very significantly.
As for their spending habits, 47% will spend the same amount on gifts as last year, while 13% will spend more. 33% said they will spend less than last year, while 8% won’t buy gifts at all.
42% of the 18-24 cohort (n=119) said they will spend less, as will 40% of the 25-34 cohort (n=192). In real numbers, the average spend on gifts among the 18-24s will be $386 and $574 for 25-34s. Grandkids will feel spoiled by the 65+s numbers: they intend to spend an average of $2,916.
Victorians (n=253) also intended to spend the most on gifts, averaging $2550; five times as much as other states.
The total average spend of Australians this Christmas will total up to $1656, when gifts ($1059), food ($209), alcohol ($103), travel ($113), decorations ($58) and eating out ($114) are taken into consideration.
When asked how they intend to fund Christmas purchases this year, a whopping 71% answered savings. Credit cards was the second largest means, though represented only 16%.
Who Gets What
Don’t be surprised if your present this year comes in an envelope or over email – 45% say they’re getting gift cards or vouchers for friends and family – 47% of men and 44% of women respectively.
40% said they would be buying toys, 31% say clothing or apparel, 21% say inexpensive novelty gifts, and 20% say money. A quarter (24%) may actually get “what they want or need” under the Christmas tree.
As of publication, your Christmas present may already be on the way – 12% say they will do 80-100% of their shopping online – which if extrapolated to the wider population suggests 2.3 million adult Australians.
On the main, 43% of Australians will do at least 40% of their Christmas shopping online.
“Despite mail delays and shortages for electronics, Australians have taken to online shopping with vigour. Some may be used to it due to extended lockdowns; others just like the convenience,” says Bill Tsouvalas, Managing Director at Savvy. “32% say they want to avoid crowds, saying the pandemic has influenced their method of shopping. 30% say they will shop anywhere there are bargains. Not even pandemics can stop Australians from hunting down a bargain!”
The traditional Boxing Day sales have been supplanted by American import Black Friday/Cyber Monday; 37% say that they’ve taken to Black Friday sales to save on purchases; 36% say they’ve looked online for cheaper prices. Only 20% are looking forward to Boxing Day bargains. The best spending curb is not spending at all: 44% say they have set an agreed limit to what they’ll spend overall.
“It seems like Australians are content to make a happy Christmas time and forget about the year that’s gone by,” Tsouvalas says. “It’ll be music to the ears of retailers who have done it so tough, too.”
