89% of Australian shoppers want an omnichannel experience

Webrooming and showrooming are on the rise; trust in user-generated content is also growing

Sydney, Australia, 20th November 2024 - Bazaarvoice, Inc., the leading provider of full-funnel authentic user-generated content (UGC) and social commerce solutions, today released its annual Shopper Experience Index, based on a survey of more than 8,000 global shoppers, including 1,029 in Australia.
 

The study highlights a shift in consumer behaviour, with omnichannel shopping now including webrooming, showrooming, and social media as core elements. Australians are increasingly relying on UGC for product discovery and purchase decisions, and personalised offers are becoming key drivers of sales across multiple product categories.

The Australian survey highlights include:

Omnichannel shopping reigns supreme: 89% of Australian shoppers consider a seamless shopping experience across different channels very important, slightly higher than the global average of 88%, with four out of five (83%) preferring a blend of in-store and online shopping. Three-fourths of Australian consumers (78%) engage in online-to-offline shopping behaviour where they research products online before buying them in physical stores (webrooming), while 57% do the opposite (showrooming), compared to the global averages of 75% and 59% respectively.

Social commerce is growing: Over a third (38%) of Australian consumers use social media for product discovery and research, while 28% are purchasing directly through these platforms, compared to 39% and 31% globally. In 2021, over half (55.4%) of Australian respondents said they never shopped on social media. This year, that number dropped to just 24%, the same as the global average. Instagram (69%), YouTube (62%), and TikTok (50%) are used most by Gen Z for product discovery, while Facebook is most popular for Millennials (66% globally). However, Australian Gen Z are significantly less likely to start their shopping journey on social media (6%) than the global average (18%).

More Australian shoppers are stepping up as creators: More than half of Australian consumers (54%) are happy to share their opinion when asked to rate a product, an increase from 36% last year. In 2023, almost half (46%) of respondents identified as "passive consumers", who tend to consume opinions rather than sharing their own. This year, that number dropped to just 28%, consistent with the global trend.

Consumer trust in fellow consumers is on the rise: 65% of Australian shoppers rely on UGC, such as ratings, reviews, photos, and videos for their buying decisions. Nearly half of shoppers find user reviews on retailer websites to be the most influential content when researching products online. Gen Z is highly influenced by UGC, with 80% considering it crucial in their decision-making process, the same as the global average. However, generation impacts what type of content they prefer. Baby Boomers rely more on traditional UGC-like ratings and reviews, while Gen Z prefers visual content like photos and videos from social media influencers. 51% of Baby Boomers in Australia do not find UGC important, highlighting the importance of generational differences in marketing strategies.

Personalised offers motivate shoppers: Personalised offers drive 42% of local shoppers to complete purchases online, slightly lower than the global average of 45%. They resonate even more strongly with Gen Z, 61% of which find these tailored offers impactful, the same as the global average. Electronics, apparel, and health and beauty are the product categories for which personalised offers are most influential.

"This year's study reinforces that to succeed today, brands and retailers must meet their customers wherever they shop—especially on social platforms, where consumer engagement and comfort with purchasing are on the rise," said Zarina Lam Stanford, CMO at Bazaarvoice. "The demand for user-generated content is higher than ever, and it's a powerful tool for creating genuine connections that influence purchase decisions. As consumers shift from passive observers to active content creators, brands have a unique opportunity to harness authentic voices and build trust across all touchpoints."

To view the report, visit the Shopper Experience Index.

Research methodology

The research was commissioned by Bazaarvoice and conducted in September 2024 by Savanta among over 8,000 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, India, Australia, and Canada.

About Bazaarvoice

Bazaarvoice is reshaping how brands and retailers connect with consumers by putting the consumer voice first. With an end-to-end, commerce-empowered omni-channel content solutions and analytics platform, Bazaarvoice helps 13,000+ brands and retailers inform consumer decisions consistently and at scale at every stage of the shopper journey, on every platform where shoppers live.  2.3B shoppers use the Bazaarvoice Network on a monthly basis.

Founded in 2005, Bazaarvoice is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in North America, Europe, India, and Australia. For more information, visit www.bazaarvoice.com