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Sydney, 7 August 2009: Australian online shoppers appear to be the most enthusiastic across the Asia/Pacific Middle East and Arica region when it comes to taking advantage of the attractive bargains available online, according to MasterCard Worldwide's latest survey on online shopping habits. The company's latest Insights Report Economic Crisis and Preference for Online Shopping in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa found that around three quarters (76%) of Australian online shoppers admitted to discounted prices being the reason for impulsive shopping. CDs/DVDs/VCDs and toys and gifts were the most likely products to attract Australian shoppers with 40% impulsively purchasing CDs/DVDs/VCDs and more than a third (35%) choosing toys and gifts. This is the second survey on online shopping habits conducted by MasterCard. It covered 5037 respondents across 10 markets: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE and South Africa with the latter two being new markets included in 2008. The inaugural survey was conducted in December 2007. The survey and the accompanying Insights Report do not represent MasterCard financial performance The survey found that shopping online continues to grow in popularity across Australia with almost two-thirds (66%) of respondents stating that they used the internet for online shopping. Online shopping made up an average of 30% of their overall shopping. The top three items that Australian shoppers bought online included CDs/DVDs/VCDs (44%), airline tickets (41%) and toys and gifts (39%). "Australian shoppers clearly love online bargain hunting, and MasterCard also knows they want to be able to shop online safely and conveniently. Debit MasterCard cards allow shoppers to use their own money to snap up these irresistible online deals in a safe, secure and reliable manner," said Andrew Cartwright, Country Manager, Australia, MasterCard Worldwide. The survey revealed that despite the economic downturn affecting many markets, online shoppers in Australia shopped more frequently online in 4Q 2008 than in the prior year. Online shoppers in Australia made an average of 3.8 purchases in 4Q 2008 compared to 3.5 purchases during the same quarter in 2007. Not only have they shopped more frequently despite the economic climate but Australian online shoppers have shown an increased intention for future online shopping compared to a year ago. "Online shopping is growing in popularity as consumers recognize and appreciate the convenience and ease of shopping online. As businesses look to grow their online retail presence, they need to be aware of the preferences and concerns that drive online shoppers," said Mr Cartwright. Across the region, books and arts (with 38% of online shoppers choosing this) emerged as the most frequently bought items online, closely followed by home appliances and electronic products (37%) and CDs/DVDs/VCDs (36%). The majority of the online shopping conducted in the region was planned, with 83% of online shoppers admitting that they tend to plan their shopping in advance and conduct research on their planned purchases. Most online shoppers either bought items impulsively "hardly ever" (36%) or "just a couple of times" (38%). The top reason for impulsive buying was the discounted prices (67%) that online channels afford. About MasterCard Worldwide
MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com. |
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