On-line Purchasing – Frequency
Q. About how often have you purchased items and products on-line in the last 12 months (for example – books, clothing, computers, electrical appliances)?
Once | 6% |
2 or 3 times | 25% |
4-6 times | 21% |
7-12 times | 15% |
More than 12 times | 20% |
Total purchased online in last 12 months | 88% |
Not in last 12 months | 12% |
88% of respondents said they had purchased items and products online in the last 12 months. 35% had purchased online more than six times in the last 12 months.
44% of those aged 25-34 and 43% of those aged 35-44 said they had purchased online more than six times.
On-line Purchasing – Products
If bought online in last 12 months –
Q. Which of the following products have you purchased on-line from Australian or overseas companies in last 12 months?
Purchased from Australian companies | Purchased from overseas companies | Not purchased | |
Books | 34% | 25% | 50% |
Music and video | 36% | 19% | 52% |
Clothing and shoes | 37% | 18% | 54% |
Computers and computer accessories | 35% | 19% | 55% |
Cameras | 11% | 6% | 85% |
Electrical appliances | 25% | 8% | 69% |
Furniture | 12% | 2% | 86% |
Wine and food | 27% | 4% | 70% |
Other products | 52% | 28% | 37% |
* Note – percentages are based on the respondents who said they bought online in the last 12 months.
Of those who had bought online, the most common purchases were books (50%), music and video (48%) clothing and shoes (46%) and computers and accessories (45%).
Respondents were more likely to buy products online from Australian companies – for most products, they were about twice as likely to buy from Australian companies as from overseas companies.
On-line Purchasing – Reasons
If bought online in last 12 months –
Q. How important are the following as reasons for you buying online?
Very important | Quite important | A little important | Not important | Don’t know | |
Cheaper price | 60% | 29% | 9% | 2% | 1% |
More choice | 45% | 35% | 15% | 4% | 1% |
More convenient | 50% | 32% | 13% | 4% | 1% |
* Note – percentages are based on the respondents who said they bought online in the last 12 months.
60% said the cheaper price was very important in their decision to buy online, 50% said convenience was very important and 45% choice.
Of those who bought online more than six times, 66% say price is very important, 63% convenience and 56% choice.
On-line Purchasing Behaviour
Q. In the last 12 months, have you ever looked at items or products in a store, then bought it on line?
Q. In the last 12 months, have you ever looked at items or products on line, then bought it at a store (i.e. an actual shop or store, not an “online store”)?
Looked at store, bought on-line | 49% |
Looked on-line, bought at store | 61% |
49% of all respondents said they had looked at products in a store, then bought online – while 61% said they had looked online, then bought at a store.
GST on On-line Purchasing
Q. Currently GST is not charged on on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies. Would you approve or disapprove GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies?
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Total approve | 18% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
Total disapprove | 71% | 74% | 67% | 73% |
Strongly approve | 6% | 8% | 6% | 5% |
Approve | 12% | 9% | 16% | 14% |
Disapprove | 23% | 22% | 25% | 19% |
Strongly disapprove | 48% | 52% | 42% | 54% |
Don’t know | 11% | 9% | 11% | 8% |
71% disapprove of GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies and 18% approve.
Strongest disapproval is shown by women (74%), Labor voters (74%), Greens voters (73%) and age groups 35-44 (77%) and 25-34 (74%).
74% of online shoppers disapprove and 17% approve – while for those who buy online more often (more than six times a year) 80% disapprove and 12% approve.
Government decision making
Q. Governments often need to consider the interests of a number of stakeholders when making decisions, including those of corporate interests. In general, do you think when governments make decisions, they –
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Total favour corporate interests | 60% | 64% | 55% | 76% |
Total favour voter interests | 9% | 4% | 14% | 2% |
Very strongly favour corporate interests | 26% | 27% | 20% | 40% |
Somewhat favour corporate interests | 34% | 37% | 35% | 36% |
Balance the interests of voters and corporate interests | 19% | 21% | 22% | 15% |
Somewhat favour the interests of voters | 5% | 2% | 9% | – |
Very strongly favour the interests of voters | 4% | 2% | 5% | 2% |
Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 8% | 6% |
60% of respondents think that governments in general make decisions in favour of corporate interests. 9% think they make decisions in favour of voter interests and 19% think they balance the interests of voters and corporations.
By gender – men split 56% corporate interests, 12% voters interests, 24% balanced and women 65% corporate, 4% voters, 15% balanced.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
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In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
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