If you have keenly been following the latest reports, then you are probably aware by now that online shoppers in Australia now make up the majority of the population. All hail King E-Commerce!
Now e-commerce platform Bigcommerce.com has taken the initiative to analyse how the rise in e-commerce is affecting the online entrepreneur as well as consumer buying habits, both here and abroad.
The findings are from a sample size of more than 35,000 online businesses around the world, with $2 billion in sales from 17.4 million transactions. Like charity, let’s start at home…
How is e-commerce performing in Australia?
Australia is leading the world with the rate of new online stores opening, with a 200 per cent increase from 2010 to 2012. Online shoppers in Australia spend more on average per order than anyone else in the world, at $142 in 2013, up 20 per cent from 2011.
“Many of the retail giants in the country are complaining endlessly about a lack of consumer confidence. Our data across thousands of stores actually shows that Australian online shoppers spend more per order than anyone else in the world,” said Eddie Machaalani, co-founder and co-CEO of Bigcommerce.
Plus, more people are creating a second source of income by starting their own online stores while working a full or part-time job and 48 per cent of Australian e-commerce entrepreneurs work on their online businesses well into the early morning hours. Hey! Am I the only one here without my own online store?
“It’s incredible to see this kind of explosive growth, with new Australian e-commerce stores up 200 per cent in the last two years. More people are finding entrepreneurial success online — especially when they’re armed with the right tools,” Mr Machaalani said.
How is e-commerce performing in the rest of the world?
Globally, the e-commerce market is up 162 per cent from 2012. Bigcommerce saw a 70 per cent increase in the number of new e-commerce entrants from this time last year and independent online businesses grew their revenues by 17 per cent over the last quarter.
Also, consumers are not just shopping online more frequently but are buying more each time they shop. The average order price for online shoppers is $116 per order, up 21 per cent from $95 in 2011 and 13.7 per cent from $102 in 2012.
All this talk of shopping is making my credit card nervous and my local delivery person happy. I’m off to shop from the comfort of my couch.
