The key Christmas trading months may be quieter than usual this year, as two-thirds of Aussie consumers indicate they will wrap up their gift-shopping in the next six weeks.
Future inflationary concerns coupled with ongoing supply chain issues, and expected product shortages are leading Australians to shop earlier this year.
This is according to survey of 1,007 Australian online shoppers, commissioned by parcel delivery company CouriersPlease.
The survey found that 61 per cent of respondents said they will shop earlier this year than they normally do, with 19 per cent have already completed Christmas shopping.
34 per cent say they will have completed their purchases by the end of September, with a further 32 per cent planning to do their Christmas shopping in October.
During last November and December, Australians spent more than $65 billion, both in-store and online – a $3 billion increase on the previous year.
54 per cent of shoppers have indicated they will spend less on Christmas gifts this year – with just 3 per cent saying they will spend more.
“Our research shows Christmas will be coming early for retailers, with a majority of Aussies shopping earlier than they did last year,” said Chief Transformation Officer at CouriersPlease, Jessica Ip.
“I strongly encourage retailers to prepare for an influx of pre-Christmas shoppers earlier this year by ensuring they maintain healthy stock levels.
“It is also important to ensure their eCommerce stores are well-equipped to handle increased customer volumes, with a strong plan in place to avoid or resolve glitches or the potential for websites to crash quickly and early. Ensuring customer service staff are equipped to manage increased enquiries will also be important.
“Retailers could also consider hiring additional staff to ensure orders are picked and packed swiftly, while having a courier partner with a strong track record for on-time deliveries and strategies in place to combat delays will also be key.”
