Despite the online shopping boom that took hold during the early stages of the pandemic, Australians still prefer the brick-and-mortar experience.

This is according to the Adyen Australia 2022 Retail Report, which surveyed over 50,000 consumers and businesses across 26 countries. This included 500 Australian businesses and over 2,000 shoppers.

While the global average suggests that 59 per cent of people prefer in-store over online shopping, a whopping 73 per cent of Aussies still prefer the in-person experience.

67 per cent of Australians say physical stores are an important touchpoint, even if they shop with the same retailer online, while 51 per cent are more loyal to retailers who have physical stores and online options.

“For Australian consumers, it’s all about the experience,” said Hayley Fisher, country manager for Australia and New Zealand at Adyen.

“Just in the last five years alone we’ve seen consumer preference on shopping channels and payment methods shift from one to another, but there are two things that remain constant – It’s the reign of seamless experiences with cashless being king.

“Retailers who understand and adapt to this, regardless of platform or payment method, will be well-positioned to take on the next wave of retail innovation.”