Australian companies, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, overseas companies, 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.
Australian companies, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online products, online purchasing, overseas companies, 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.
corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, online purchasing, voter interests
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.
corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, voter interests
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.
corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, overseas companies, voter interests
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.
corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, voter interests
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.