What is behind our online shopping boom?

TOOWOOMBA customers love to shop online, according to a new report from Australia Post.

The Inside Australian Online Shopping Report released today showed Toowoomba was the second highest location for buying items online, by volume.

The volume of online sales increased 19.5 per cent in Toowoomba from 2016 to 2017.

“The top 10 buying locations were dominated by suburbs which have seen an influx of young families,” the report said.

Toowoomba had the highest sales nationwide in several categories including health and beauty, homeware and appliances and hobbies and recreational goods.

“Residents in the regional towns of Toowoomba, Gosford, Mackay and Bundaberg were amongst the biggest online purchasers of homewares and appliances in 2017,” the report said.

Toowoomba also had the third highest sales nationwide in fashion and the third highest sales in the variety store category.

Despite the rise in online shopping, across Australia it only made up eight per cent of traditional retail sales.

Australia Post general manager for parcels and express services, Ben Franzi, said total online purchases topped $21 billion for the first time last year.

“Marketplaces - such as Amazon, eBay and Etsy - are booming, growing 74.8 per cent in the past year alone,” Mr Franzi said.

“Australians really appreciate the convenience of being able to access goods from a variety of sellers in the one location.”