Australians have turned to their screens in record numbers, spending a staggering $69 billion online over the past financial year, with $19.2 billion of that spent in just the final quarter, new data reveals.
According to the latest Quarterly eCommerce Report from Australia Post and figures from the Commonwealth Bank, the end-of-financial-year (EOFY) sales helped fuel a 15 per cent jump in online spending compared to the previous quarter. Some 7.9 million households chose to shop online during the quarter.
Australia Post General Manager of Enterprise and Government, Chelsea O’Reilly, said the figures signal a growing sense of optimism among consumers.
“With inflation cooling and consumer confidence returning, we’re seeing more Australians shop online,” O’Reilly said. “But they’re not just spending more — they’re expecting more. Shoppers now demand faster delivery, more convenience and better value.”
Driving this consumer surge were two interest rate cuts earlier this year by the Reserve Bank of Australia — one in February and another in May — lowering the cash rate to 3.85 per cent.
Retailers, particularly department stores, saw a 28 per cent rise in spending, as shoppers snapped up bargains. However, the average basket size dropped 1.6 per cent year-on-year to $96, indicating smaller but more frequent purchases.
Millennials led the way with $6.9 billion in total online purchases for the quarter, followed by Gen X ($5.3 billion) and Gen Z ($3.4 billion). Notably, Gen Z posted a 16 per cent increase from the previous year — the highest growth among all generations.
Queensland residents, especially in Toowoomba, Mackay and Bundaberg, were the most active online shoppers, followed by consumers in Point Cook, Victoria, and Mandurah, Western Australia.
The report highlights that while digital spending is surging, success for retailers now hinges on offering faster shipping and flexible options in a highly competitive market.
