Compared to other markets around the world, Australia has really been behind in the take-up of online shopping.

Online shopping in other modern economies make up a huge percentage of sales however in Australia it has been a little slower to take on.

One of the major reasons that this has been the case is that Australia, compared to other countries, is a relatively small market. It is therefore difficult for retailers to offer the same sort of discounts to make it worthwhile as other online retailers in other countries. The economies of scale don’t become a factor in Australia.  This has meant that profit margins are thinner here and therefore don’t represent a great market.

Another reason is that the Australian dollar has been historically low meaning the cost of buying goods online has not been worthwhile.

This has all changed however and companies such as Styletread, ASOS and other companies have found it easier to do business in Australia. It is often the case that companies like Styletread offer something like a StyleTread coupon to entice customers to shop online rather than in store.