Aussie online shoppers prefer dealing with local sites: almost two-thirds of those making online purchases are doing so locally.

New Roy Morgan data shows that 64% of the 7,387,000 Australians aged over 14 who made online purchases in the year to September 2014 purchased through local websites. 39% bought from overseas websites.

Six out of 51 categories studied were more commonly bought from overseas websites:

• Video games and consoles,
• ebooks,
• books,
• jewellery and watches,
• TV show downloads, and
• fashion accessories.

Tickets to movies, shows and other events are the most popular local online purchase (830,000 people every four weeks). The next most common local online purchases are tickets and accommodation (785,000 people) and fast food or meals (569,000).

Other types of purchases that are more popularly bought via local websites include:

• Women’s clothing,
• cosmetics and skincare,
• toys,
• travel, and
• homewares.

Click table to enlarge. 

This data comes in the wake of Australia Post recently having launched ShopMate, a service that gives Aussies a US postal address to use for online shopping on overseas websites.

The warehouse in Portland, Oregon receives parcels bought by Australians from US providers and redirects them to their local address, charging a base rate of $24.95 per parcel plus $5.95 per 500 grams.

Roy Morgan Research general manager – consumer products Geoffrey Smith said the new research data was great news for Aussie online retailers.

He said the next boom category for online retail could be men’s fashion.

“Much of the retail conversation over the last few years has focused on women’s fashion. The race for Australian stores to develop an online presence so they can compete with well-established overseas competitors has received much coverage and commentary. In the midst of all this focus on women’s fashion, it looks like the new fashion battleground may be for men’s clothing.

“With a higher ranking on the overseas online stores’ list and nearly as many customers, it could be the category that local retailers need to watch.”