Mobile commerce (mCommerce) in Australia may have begun as a convenient way to shop on-the-go, but has developed quickly into an entertainment experience. Mobile retail has shifted from convenience to entertainment as reading and writing reviews, product research, and virtual try-ons are an enjoyable pastime for many Australians, particularly with younger shoppers.

The PayPal mCommerce Index: 2018 Trends Report dug into this behavioural shift in the way Australians engage with mCommerceand also their expectations for the mobile shopping experience.

The Rise of Online ‘Retailtainment’ in Australia

• 67% of Australian smartphone users browse shopping sites for fun or to pass the time without any plans to buy.
• 77% of those recreational mobile browsers have made an impulse purchase in the process.
• 44% of Australian smartphone owners stating that they shop online for relaxation and leisure.
• 20% of Australians, surveyed, and 31% of those aged 18-34 are more likely to make an impulse buy via mobile than via desktop.
• Younger Australians, aged 18-34 years are the greatest consumers of online retailtainment with 62% browsing for fun at least once a week on their mobiles, and 15% of Gen Zers doing so daily.

Try Before You Buy: Augmented Reality in Australia

• In terms of the consumer concerns about mobile shopping, 88% of Australian smartphone shoppers are concerned about which size will fit and size variation between brands, while 82% are concerned about even if the size was right, and 76% have concerns about if the style won’t suit them or not.
• 44% claimed that they’d be more likely to purchase online if they could virtually see what an item looked like on them or in their home before buying.
• While only 5% of mobile shoppers have used augmented reality (AR) online retail experience, 51% want more online retailers to offer AR experiences.
• In terms of business adoption of augmented reality, just 5% of online businesses in Australia are now offering AR, while 32% are currently developing or intending to develop an AR experience.

Ready to Listen: Voice Assistants in Mobile Commerce in Australia

• 54% of Australian consumers, surveyed, believe that as technology develops, voice-assisted shopping will be useful.
• Only 2 in 10 of Australian consumers have used a voice assistant to make retail inquiries (e.g. product availability or price comparisons), while only 4% have already used a voice assistant to make online purchases.
• In contrast, 32% of respondents have concerns about giving a voice assistant their payment details, due to the risk of misuse by others.
• Only 4% of online businesses have integrated voice technology, while 27% are considering integrating voice assistant services in the future.

A Graph Shows the Proportion of Businesses in Australia That Adopt Augmented Reality in 2018

Methodology:

Data were driven from a 5-minute online survey of 1,012 Australian smartphone users aged 18, and older and 404 business decision makers within Australian small and medium B2C retailers and merchants who sold or took orders online.