Australians have set a new online shopping record, spending a considerable $20.7 billion online for the July-September quarter, fuelled by more frequent purchases and major sales events, according to Australia Post’s latest Quarterly eCommerce Report.
The July-September quarter (Q1 FY26) saw online spending growing 15% YoY – a 6.2% increase quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), making a strong start to the new financial year.
The average basket size remained flat at $95 as 8.1 million households shopped online (2.7% increase YoY) – signalling an online spending boom which is expected to intensify across the Black Friday and Christmas periods.
Online Marketplaces remained the top-performing category, generating $4.6 billion (up 10% YoY), followed by Food and Liquor with $4.2 billion (up 14% YoY), and $2.7 billion spent on Fashion (up 13% YoY).
Books, Stationery and Multimedia, Consumer Electronics and Hobbies and Recreational Goods categories saw the biggest growth of any online category (up 43%, 21% and 19% YoY respectively), reflecting a growing appetite for at-home entertainment and lifestyle products.
Value-driven shopping continues to motivate customers with three in four shoppers saying they are holding out for major sales events.
Half of all shoppers have their sights set on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, setting the stage for a strong second quarter.
Across the country, New South Wales residents shopped the most online followed by Victoria and Queensland.
Nationally, the postcodes that topped the list for online shopping were:
• Hoppers Crossing, VIC
• Toowoomba, QLD
• Mackay, QLD
• Point Cook, VIC
• Bundaberg, QLD
