Online buyers prioritise price over quality

In response to the ever-growing cost of living and lack of wage growth, as well as the extensive discounting of online goods, over half of consumers shop online prioritising low prices rather than quality or faster delivery, according to research from CouriersPlease.

When asked about the most important factor to them when shopping online, over half (57 per cent) of Australian consumers indicated that low price trumped other options, while a third (32 per cent) prefer quality, and only 11 per cent prioritise delivery speed.

“More often than not, Aussies expect to get a good deal when shopping online compared with shopping in-store for the same product,” CouriersPlease spokesperson Jessica Ip said.

“We believe this expectation will only grow as the retail industry continues to shift online, and e-tailers will follow suit.”

Survey respondents were asked which product categories typically delivered the lowest quality products, with two-thirds believing the combined fashion and jewellery industries were the worst offenders.

A further 22 per cent think technology and electronics are typically the lowest quality product they purchase, followed by health and beauty products, which led 14 per cent of buyers to be disappointed in the quality of products delivered.

Sixteen per cent of respondents noted they were disappointed with the quality of food and alcohol delivered online – a segment expected to grow in the Asia-Pacific region by 196 per cent over the next four years, according to research by IGD.

Online FMCG sales in Asia-Pacific are expected to triple in the next five years, with e-commerce’s share of the grocery industry tipped to grow to 7.5 per cent by 2023 – twice that of North America (3.4 per cent), and almost three times larger than that of Europe (2.5 per cent).

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