Brand websites beat marketplaces in the battle for shoppers during Covid

(Source: supplied )

Brand websites outperformed online marketplaces during the pandemic as more consumers shopped directly from retailer websites, according to a new report by Monash University.

More than 60 per cent of Australian online shoppers made purchases from non-online-only retailer’s websites during the past three months – a figure 14 per cent higher than the number of Aussies who shopped at online marketplaces.

“With consumers using online channels more than ever before, it is now increasingly important that retailers provide shoppers with seamless omnichannel experiences to meet their increasing online expectations,” said Stephanie Atto, principal research consultant at the ACRS.

“As retailers focus on improving their digital integration in the retail experience, adding personalised touches will help retailers continue to connect with their customers in a deeper way,” Atto added.

In addition, during the past three months, more than 80 per cent of Australians shopped online with more than a third of them making weekly online purchases. Clothing, footwear and accessories accounted for more than half of online purchases, followed by grocery (41 per cent) and household goods (33 per cent).

“Prior to the pandemic, there was a clear divide amongst shoppers over physical versus online shopping experiences,” said Atto.

“But what is most interesting is that Australians are now equally divided on their preference for brick-and-mortar versus online as their preferred main channel – 50 per cent prefer physical stores as their preferred main channel, while the other 50 per cent now prefer online channels.”

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