AUSTRALIA | ShopFully research finds majority of Aussies opt for Click & Collect as the digital and physical shopping worlds collide.
Recent research from ShopFully, international leading tech company in Drive to Store with presence in 25 countries, has found the majority of Australian consumers (70 percent) are opting for Click & Collect when shopping online. Click & Collect services allow consumers to shop online and pick up their orders in-store, sometimes as fast as the same day. The new statistic underlines how the digital and physical shopping worlds have become increasingly integrated in recent years. ShopFully surveyed 1000 Australian consumers in February 2024 on their anticipated shopping behaviours and preferred purchasing methods for the next 12 months.
The Integration of the Physical and Digital World
ShopFully's new data reveals 78 percent of Australian consumers will often take the opportunity to buy other products when going to the store to collect their original online purchase, with 24 percent doing so systematically and 54 percent doing so occasionally.
“Since the inception of Click & Collect, it’s been a powerful tool for retailers, as it incentivises customers to visit a business location in-person, providing the optimal opportunity for a second-purchase to be made. Its ability to generate additional in-store revenue has made it extremely advantageous for physical stores,” said Brendan Straw, ShopFully Country Manager for Australia.
“Click & Collect has offered shoppers the best of both worlds, providing both convenience and time efficiency. However, it’s retailers who are reaping the most reward, as it allows businesses to capitalise on their digital channels to drive in-store footfall and increased sales.”
Catering to the Collective
Click & Collect has proven to be a winning business strategy, as it successfully appeals to the shopping behaviours of today’s consumers and their preferred shopping methods. While Australia is a digitally progressive population, the attachment to physical stores and in-person shopping still remains strong. In fact, the data reveals the majority of Australians (90 percent) prefer to shop in-store, with the enjoyment of the shopping experience the second highest motivator (34 percent). This is in contrast to the small portion of Aussies (10 percent) who say they have an exclusive preference to online shopping. When shoppers are choosing online channels, 66 percent agree doing so because of convenience, and having the ability to shop wherever and whenever they want. All in all, one can suggest, the popularity of Click & Collect is indicated by how well it caters to the Australian customer’s shopping preferences.
“The fusion of digital and physical shopping, and the birth of Click & Collect, has brought consumers this perfect blend of online ease and in-store excitement,” said Brendan.”
A Global Phenomenon
Compared to the rest of the world, Australian consumers have been slower to adopt the method. In Europe, Click & Collect is extremely popular with 86 percent of consumers saying they use it. Retailers in Europe are finding the service to be more beneficial for driving sales due to impulse buys, with half of French consumers (50 percent) that use Click & Collect always buying something else in store.
“Australia is leading the way in omnichannel shopping but we are still only catching up to other regions,” said Straw.
“Shopping behaviours are complex; 41 percent of consumers use both offline and online channels interchangeably so retailers need to engage them with personalised content tailored to purchasing habits, using different touchpoints to support them throughout the purchasing process - from that initial purchase online via Click & Collect to the in-store pick up.”
ShopFully’s data highlights the transformation of the retail sector, characterised by a strong polarisation between tradition and innovation, physical and digital, real and virtual. Click & Collect has emerged as a valued option for Australian shoppers who remain faithful to brick-and-mortar stores, yet enjoy the perks of shopping online.
