Australians spent a record $25 billion shopping online in the July-September quarter, according to Australia Post's latest Quarterly eCommerce Report.1
Online spending grew 17% year-on-year (YoY) and 6% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), marking a strong start to the new financial year. The average basket size fell 6.8% YoY to $90, as shoppers indulge in small luxuries rather than big ticket purchases. Meanwhile, 8.4 million households shopped online, up 3.5% YoY, as momentum builds ahead of Click Frenzy, Black Friday and Christmas periods.2
Online Marketplaces remained the top-performing category, generating $6.1 billion spend (up 20% YoY), followed by Food and Liquor at $5.3 billion (up 21% YoY), and $3.6 billion spent on Fashion (up 11% YoY). Hobbies and Recreational Goods (up 22%), and Food and Liquor categories saw the biggest growth of any online category, reflecting a growing appetite for at-home entertainment and lifestyle products.
Value continues to drive shopping decisions, with nine in ten shoppers planning to shop the sales despite cost-of-living pressures. But price isn't the only consideration, with three quarters of shoppers saying a smooth returns process makes them more likely to buy again.
Across the country, New South Wales residents shopped the most online followed by Victoria and Queensland. Nationally, the postcodes that topped the list for online shopping were:
- Hoppers Crossing, VIC
- Toowoomba, QLD
- Mackay, QLD
Australia Post General Manager Enterprise and Government, Chelsea O'Reilly, said Australia Post is gearing up for its busiest delivery period yet.
"With Black Friday and Christmas approaching, Australians are preparing for one of the year's busiest shopping periods. Shoppers are planning ahead and seeking value, but price is not the only priority. As the peak season begins, fast, flexible and reliable delivery will be increasingly important for a positive shopping experience.
"We've been gearing up too, strengthening our network, investing in infrastructure and bringing on thousands of additional team members to help keep parcels moving throughout our busiest time of year.
"Customers can also stay on top of their deliveries through the AusPost app, with real-time tracking and notifications providing greater visibility every step of the way," Ms O'Reilly said.
Australia Post has also announced last sending dates ahead of Christmas:
- Parcel Post: Parcels should be sent by Monday 21 December for interstate deliveries and Tuesday 22 December for same state deliveries
- Express Post: Wednesday 23 December
- Letters and cards: Friday 18 December for interstate deliveries and Monday 21 December for same state deliveries
People sending to or from Western Australia, Northen Territory, Tasmania, or regional and remote locations, should allow a few extra days.
To learn more about these trends and access data and insights about shoppers, visit Australia Post's Quarterly Online Shopping Report: https://auspost.com.au/business/grow-your-business/trendsinsights/
1 CommBank iQ, 2026. Consumer spend & online transactions percentage is based on electronic banking transaction data (debits/ credit cards, BPAY, direct debit) and estimation for Buy Now, Pay Later payments. State and remoteness-level spending estimates exclude all Buy Now, Pay Later transactions. Australia Post has applied aggregation adjustments to ensure these figures reconcile with the total reported spend.
2 Australia Post Group parcels data, 2025-2026. Households are measured as residential or mix use addresses that received an eCommerce parcel.
