New Research Confirms Staggering Consumer Demand for Online Retailing
Announcement posted by Salmat 31 Mar 2011
New research confirms exponential increases in consumer demand for online retail, ecommerce and multichannel retailing - sending a clear message to Australian retailers to catch up with the rest of the world or be left behind.
Sydney, 31 March 2011 - The Australian Centre for Retail Studies (ACRS) supported with data by both Google and Salmat are touring Australia armed with the latest research, retail marketing trends and consumer insights from around the world. The ACRS, with Google and Salmat, will present the findings of Global Retails Insights covering their own Australian primary research and a collection of trends and research gathered from the United States, Europe, Asia and domestically to paint a clear picture of the global retail landscape in 2011.
The ACRS, Google and Salmat are tackling the big issues retailers will face in 2011, including:
• The global consumer and retail trends from 2010 that have shaped the multichannel landscape for Australian retailers in 2011
• The attitudes and behaviours of Australian retailers – multichannel challenges, opportunities and key learning’s from abroad
• The emergence of Australia’s “Green Consumer” - what they look like, how they behave and how they can be influenced
• The unique challenges Australian multichannel retailers will have to overcoming in the years ahead
Key findings of the research include:
• Australian retailers’ push for eCommerce enabled websites is now increasing at pace. Consumers are demanding retailers provide pre-purchase research resources and fully transactional websites – increasingly on mobile platforms.
• Leading global and local retailers have responded to these demands with eCommerce platforms that are now attracting large consumer traffic.
• Retailers are starting to see online as a brand and engagement channel for driving store traffic and sales - not just as an ecommerce or fulfilment platform.
• Retailers know they should be investing in ‘new media’, but are apprehensive about making those investments and are therefore missing out on opportunities.
• Mobile must be a key consideration for retailers in 2011. Over Xmas 2010, 17.5 per cent of all Google retail searches occurred on a mobile device and Lasoo saw an increase of over 1500 per cent of mobile searches with over 15 million catalogue pages viewed on Lasoo’s iPhone application.
• Despite the increasing number of Australians browsing the websites of international retailers, 68 per cent of Australians still prefer to shop domestically – Australian retailers just need to make it more convenient for consumers to do so.
• The key challenges Australian retailers face are skilled and dedicated internal resourcing and sufficient operating process support (i.e. back end fulfilment)
• Australian retail marketing teams are changing dramatically. In 2010 we started seeing marketers with multichannel titles such as Marketing Integration Manager, yet still lack much of the expertise required to execute multichannel strategies.
• The Green Consumer
- Consumers expect retailers to offer green alternatives, or in fact, be practicing green already, but do not expect to have to pay more than 5-10 per cent extra.
- 46 per cent of the Australian population regularly purchase based on green credentials. They also look to manufacturers and retailers to provide education and engagement across channels to aid in more informed decision making.
- Consumers are prepared to reward retailers with green credentials through visiting more often and spending more, as well as actively talking to their peers about the experience.
- If consumer expectations regarding green and an organisations stance are not aligned, consumers are prepared to boycott the brand.
For more information on the research partners visit their websites at:
ACRS - www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/acrs/
Google - www.google.com.au
Salmat - www.salmat.com.au
The ACRS, Google and Salmat are tackling the big issues retailers will face in 2011, including:
• The global consumer and retail trends from 2010 that have shaped the multichannel landscape for Australian retailers in 2011
• The attitudes and behaviours of Australian retailers – multichannel challenges, opportunities and key learning’s from abroad
• The emergence of Australia’s “Green Consumer” - what they look like, how they behave and how they can be influenced
• The unique challenges Australian multichannel retailers will have to overcoming in the years ahead
Key findings of the research include:
• Australian retailers’ push for eCommerce enabled websites is now increasing at pace. Consumers are demanding retailers provide pre-purchase research resources and fully transactional websites – increasingly on mobile platforms.
• Leading global and local retailers have responded to these demands with eCommerce platforms that are now attracting large consumer traffic.
• Retailers are starting to see online as a brand and engagement channel for driving store traffic and sales - not just as an ecommerce or fulfilment platform.
• Retailers know they should be investing in ‘new media’, but are apprehensive about making those investments and are therefore missing out on opportunities.
• Mobile must be a key consideration for retailers in 2011. Over Xmas 2010, 17.5 per cent of all Google retail searches occurred on a mobile device and Lasoo saw an increase of over 1500 per cent of mobile searches with over 15 million catalogue pages viewed on Lasoo’s iPhone application.
• Despite the increasing number of Australians browsing the websites of international retailers, 68 per cent of Australians still prefer to shop domestically – Australian retailers just need to make it more convenient for consumers to do so.
• The key challenges Australian retailers face are skilled and dedicated internal resourcing and sufficient operating process support (i.e. back end fulfilment)
• Australian retail marketing teams are changing dramatically. In 2010 we started seeing marketers with multichannel titles such as Marketing Integration Manager, yet still lack much of the expertise required to execute multichannel strategies.
• The Green Consumer
- Consumers expect retailers to offer green alternatives, or in fact, be practicing green already, but do not expect to have to pay more than 5-10 per cent extra.
- 46 per cent of the Australian population regularly purchase based on green credentials. They also look to manufacturers and retailers to provide education and engagement across channels to aid in more informed decision making.
- Consumers are prepared to reward retailers with green credentials through visiting more often and spending more, as well as actively talking to their peers about the experience.
- If consumer expectations regarding green and an organisations stance are not aligned, consumers are prepared to boycott the brand.
For more information on the research partners visit their websites at:
ACRS - www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/acrs/
Google - www.google.com.au
Salmat - www.salmat.com.au