Australians love to shop on UK websites

Australian shoppers are keen on overseas websites, according to new research from the Royal Mail, which found that 30 percent of online shoppers make a purchase from a UK site.

The research conducted by Trinity McQueen for Royal Mail reveals that these Australian online shoppers spend on average 70 Aus Dollars, approximately 39 pounds on UK websites each month. It is quite significant as the average shopper in Australia spends 160 Aus Dollars, approximately 89 pounds per month on non-food shopping, with 132 Aus Dollars, approximately 73 pounds of this spent online.

The key reasons that Australian shoppers cited for shopping on UK sites were availability, a love of UK brands and price. 76 percent of Australian shoppers stated that they buy products from the UK if they can’t find them locally. In addition, 46 percent of Australian online shoppers seek out items that are only on sale in the UK and 59 percent do so because they love British brands.

The research also notes that 60 percent of Australian online shoppers purchasing from UK sites find UK items to be much cheaper than buying locally, with 41 percent adding that they would shop from a UK retailer if it was cheaper, and 80 percent said that they trust items purchased from UK sites to be genuine brands, reducing the risk of buying fake products.

When it comes to products, the top three categories for online shopping are clothes (39 percent), books (24 percent) and holidays/travel (17 percent), with Australian online shoppers are also “significantly more likely” to buy accessories compared to the average international shopper.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said in a statement: “Australia is an attractive market for exporters. The country has high internet penetration, widespread use of English as a main language and a high potential for international e-commerce sales.

“For UK businesses wanting to grow internationally, it's important to understand the distinct shopping habits of consumers in different countries. At Royal Mail, we have experience delivering into 230 countries and territories worldwide. Retailers that tune into the different ways in which consumers shop across the globe, are likely to be more successful on an international scale.”