According to the Cisco AppDynamics Seasonal Shopping Pulse Survey 2023, last year participants reported that 42% of their total Black Friday and Cyber Monday expenditure was online - and this year, Australian consumers plan to do almost half (48%) of their shopping digitally. 

The survey reveals that the consumers increasing their online shopping this year expect to make 72% of their purchases online. 

When asking consumers why they are more inclined to move to online shopping, the survey found that: 

• 30% felt that online platforms offered more choices
• 31% wanted to avoid the last-minute rush in physical stores
• 20% cited a lack of time for extensive holiday or Christmas shopping trips
• 24% appreciated the flexibility to shop outside regular hours or found shopping more convenient on their mobile devices
• Other reasons included the ability to shop during work hours (14%), a fondness for innovative digital services (9%), and a general preference for the digital shopping experience (10%)

And the survey also reveals that despite being more inclined to shop online, consumers also said that a “good digital experience is critical to determining if they will truly purchase online”. 

More than six in ten (61%) of consumers said they would feel anxious and angry if the online services they use for holiday shopping failed, and a significant 72% stated they would be more inclined to return to in-store shopping if faced with challenges during online shopping. 

Cisco says the findings underscore Australian consumers' increasing reliance on online retail platforms, and “with the holiday season just around the corner, retailers have a significant opportunity to enhance their digital platforms and cater to the evolving needs of their customers”.