Online shopping stories
Australians plan to spend AUD $491 on Christmas gifts in 2025, up from AUD $468, but remain focused on bargains amid rising living costs and budget caution.
Digital catalogues are reshaping Australian shopping habits, guiding store visits and planning, with 44% now preferring them over print versions.
Nearly 40% of Australians shop weekly on online marketplaces, with speed and convenience reshaping retail and driving major logistics investments like Amazon's AUD $490m centres.
Reolink offers up to 35% off home security cameras and systems in Australia ahead of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days until 13 October.
A survey shows 73% of shoppers use AI tools, raising new fraud risks and liability concerns for merchants during the rise of agentic commerce.
Australian shoppers remain wary of AI-driven retail ahead of Black Friday 2025, prioritising trust and data privacy over automated experiences.
Salesforce teams up with Stripe and OpenAI to launch AI-powered Instant Checkout, enhancing personalised shopping and speeding up online purchases for retailers.
Ecommpay and Hyvä have partnered to enhance Magento checkouts, aiming to reduce cart abandonment and boost merchant sales with faster, secure payments.
Gen Z demands instant replies within 15 minutes and prefers social shopping on apps like Instagram and TikTok, pushing retailers to adopt AI and automation.
A global survey reveals 33% of Gen Z and 26% of Millennials prefer AI platforms over search engines for shopping advice, signalling a shift in consumer habits.
Many young UK shoppers risk scams by using AI and social media for festive gifts, despite widespread concerns over online holiday shopping risks.
Norton reports UK millennials and Gen Z face rising holiday scam risks as 66% take risky steps, driven by growing use of social media and AI in shopping.
80% of UK shoppers now use AI for online shopping, with most expecting AI assistants to be mainstream by 2026, revolutionising retail experiences.
Mobile wallets are gaining popularity with young UK shoppers, while older generations continue to prefer debit and credit cards for online purchases.
Black Friday remains the UK's top shopping day in 2025, with 79% planning to shop then despite rising interest in Amazon Prime Deals Days and Singles Day.
Google launches a virtual try-on tool in Canada, letting shoppers upload photos to see how clothes fit before buying online.
US mall culture is fading as online shopping surges, with in-store visits down 62% and online sales up 111% across major cities in the past decade.
Retailers are urged to extend Black Friday deals across the week as 2024 data shows shopping peaks shifting to earlier in the week and conversions rising to 5.3%.
UK online retailers face revenue losses as returns hit 17.5%, highest globally, while exchanges lag at 5.8%, signalling urgent need for improved post-purchase strategies.
While 38% of UK shoppers use AI in retail, 72% want control and 94% demand transparency in how AI handles their data and choices.