There are now endless online shopping options available for consumers looking to make a purchase and the level of research consumers undertake before making a purchase is significant.
The device used, the website visited, and the link clicked when someone decides to make a purchase tells retailers as much about shopping behaviour as the purchase itself.
Coined omni-channel retailing, customers are now influenced through any stage of their contact with a retailer – be that instore, online, blogs, social media, using apps, affiliate sites, aggregators, and more.
Omni-channel retailing truly conveys what commerce means today.
Retailers use Rakuten Marketing to reach these savvy online shoppers through channels such as blogs, shopping sites, deals, and loyalty programs.
Rakuten Marketing is a network of retailers and publishers, all underpinned by strong relationships and tracking technology, ready to connect retailers to shoppers, and report back on what’s working and what isn’t.
Rakuten Marketing’s data reveals the behavioural trends of online shoppers in Australia to help explore this phenomenon.
How online shoppers differ across sectors
Figures show that more than three quarters of luxury purchases and nearly half of fashion purchases go through shopping sites such as ShopStyle and Shop till You Drop.
Comparison and offers sites such as Finder.com.au and The Bargain Avenue are the next most popular, driving close to a third of fashion sales and 13 per cent of luxury sales.
Loyalty point and cashback programs such as Velocity Global eStore and Reward Gateway, are also popular with Australian shoppers, with a high conversion rate of 11 per cent for the fashion sector.
Interestingly, electronics tend to be the highest converting vertical for consumers shopping on mobile.
How online shoppers use different devices
Additional data released by Rakuten Marketing shows that more than two thirds of all online purchases are made on a PC, with shopping on tablets growing in popularity and contributing to 16 per cent of sales.
Shoppers buying luxury items typically spend more when using a desktop versus other devices, meaning the purchase decision for more expensive items will usually happen from a desktop or a non-mobile device.
This could point to additional time and concentration being invested on important decisions.
In the fashion sector, surprisingly, purchases made from mobile devices have the highest value.
Apps such as Stashd and Style Match are encouraging people to buy while on the move.
In beauty, people shopping on tablets tend to spend the most.
Anthony Capano, Australian MD at Rakuten Marketing, commented: “We know that online shoppers rarely make a beeline for a specific item sold by a specific retailer. They want to compare and contrast, get inspiration, make wish lists and hunt for good value. Using a network of partnerships to make sure your brand appears in all the right places is a good way to reach this engaged, informed shopper.”
“Tracking online shoppers across all channels and devices provides retailers with valuable insights on which to make more informed decisions on how to attract customers, influence purchase decisions and achieve recognition.”
For more information on Rakuten Marketing and omnichannel retailing please visit www.rakutenmarketing.com.au.
