2020 changed the way Australians shop. Can your store keep them in 2021 and beyond?

The initial pandemic shattered Australia’s economic growth, collapsing by 7% in 2020. Nonessential stores shuttered and shoppers stayed at home, putting a strain on the retail sector. Then, with time, customers adjusted and resumed retail purchasing, but with a new and different routine. According to statistics, more than 200,000 Australians shopped online for the first time. For a better experience, you can also visit Payday Deals.

Since April 2020, Australian eCommerce has experienced extraordinary growth. As more people buy online for more types of things: groceries, clothes, furniture, etc.. the market came close to meeting growth expectations that were originally set for five years from now by the end of the year.

E-commerce is becoming a bright spot in Australia’s economy, as well as a lifeline for consumers who work and live at home. Many merchants who have raced to adjust to these new conditions with temporary remedies are questioning how long this transition will persist and how much they should invest in long-term eCommerce growth.

How Your Stores Keep Digital Shopping in 2021?

The way merchants do business has altered because of the changes in consumer behaviour. Here are some major areas where merchants should concentrate their efforts for the highest return on investment in digital shopping. Following are the few tips that can help you gain client loyalty, enhance income, and cut fraud and return expenses.

• Faster Page Loading – For faster page loading, more than half of Australian beauty, fashion, home, health, and electronics customers will move to online businesses. Because patience for slow-loading sites decreases the customer interest, so make sure your site can support a high volume of customers buying and browsing at the same time.
• Clarity on Delivery Charges – Clients want to know exactly how much the shipping costs. Cross-border customers are frequently subjected to additional penalties such as import taxes and customs levies, as well as increased delivery costs, all of which can induce them to abandon their purchases. Your store should, ideally, include at least one free shipping option, even with longer waiting time to appeal more customers.
• Fraud Prevention – Before the pandemic limits came into full effect in early March 2020, ClearSale polled 1,000 Australian ecommerce shoppers. We discovered that fraud is a concern, as 38% of respondents indicated they had already been a victim of online fraud, and 45% stated the fear of being a victim of fraud had deterred them from shopping online.

Customers will be more trusting and loyal to merchants who inform them that they have fraud protection in place, such as order screening for card theft and account takeovers.

• Free Returns – A simple return process may set an online company apart from its competition, especially when selling internationally. Australia Post revealed that 86 percent of cross-border customers view quick returns as vital to their shopping decisions. When it comes to buy clothes people prefer to try them on to make a final decision, but with the possibility of free return, the doubts before a purchase decrease.
• Multiple Payment Options – Retailers should provide customers with at least a half-dozen payment choices as a “competitive need”. Here are some payment suggestions like PayPal and, in particular, a buy now pay later (BNPL) option for merchants targeting younger consumers and instinct shoppers.

Conclusion

To sum up, some key developments in the retail business occurred swiftly, triggering Australia’s acceptance of online shopping. Because these changes are likely to last long after the epidemic, merchants must plan forward and invest in customer experience enhancements today in order to remain competitive in the years ahead.