Online sales, June 2021 - Supplementary COVID-19 analysis

To enhance the understanding of the economic impacts of COVID-19, additional analysis of online sales in the retail series was undertaken.

Released

4/08/2021

Source

Retail Trade, Australia, June 2021

Released

04/08/2021 11:30am AEST

The Retail Trade survey has been collecting online sales since the March quarter 2013. The Online series is published as grouped industry split; a Food group (including the Food retailing, and Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services), and a Non-food group (all other industries). Due to the limitations of online data collection, a finer split by industry is not possible at this stage.

Online sales have become increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions placed on the operation of physical retail stores saw both businesses and consumers turn to online retailing.

It is worth noting that retailers have had to adapt sales channels very quickly during the pandemic, and it is possible that the value of online purchases has been under-reported since April 2020. Importantly, total retail sales will not be under-reported.

The Online series remains experimental, and caution should be used in interpreting the results, especially during this volatile period.

Total online retail

Total online sales rose 11.6% in June 2021, in seasonally adjusted terms, following a fall of 4.5% in May 2021, and a fall of 4.1% in April 2021.

Total online, original and seasonally adjusted
	Original ($m)	Seasonally adjusted ($m)
Jan-15	665.5	709.7
Feb-15	615.5	719.7
Mar-15	719.4	750.6
Apr-15	697.1	753.3
May-15	740.1	765.2
Jun-15	790.5	788.3
Jul-15	750.9	772.5
Aug-15	760.8	791.2
Sep-15	794.6	796.8
Oct-15	789.3	763.9
Nov-15	892.7	777.9
Dec-15	998.9	806.2
Jan-16	780.6	844.5
Feb-16	732.2	822.3
Mar-16	810.6	836.8
Apr-16	771.4	855.5
May-16	840.4	858.8
Jun-16	904.1	886.4
Jul-16	827.3	875.1
Aug-16	871.8	890.1
Sep-16	923.8	925.1
Oct-16	986	959.9
Nov-16	1,108.8	956.7
Dec-16	1,265.1	1,028.1
Jan-17	903	976.1
Feb-17	825.4	966.9
Mar-17	939.1	964.6
Apr-17	862	953
May-17	1,000.7	1,008.7
Jun-17	1,039.3	1,029
Jul-17	1,048.2	1,096.5
Aug-17	1,133.8	1,148.1
Sep-17	1,109.3	1,139.6
Oct-17	1,234.8	1,197.4
Nov-17	1,510.6	1,268.3
Dec-17	1,601.8	1,321.4
Jan-18	1,229.4	1,332.6
Feb-18	1,201.2	1,416.6
Mar-18	1,360.6	1,437.5
Apr-18	1,351.9	1,466.4
May-18	1,483.5	1,488.6
Jun-18	1,484	1,501
Jul-18	1,447.6	1,496.3
Aug-18	1,499	1,488
Sep-18	1,485.4	1,528.6
Oct-18	1,621.5	1,568.4
Nov-18	1,929.6	1,624.2
Dec-18	1,950.6	1,618.3
Jan-19	1,520.1	1,657.4
Feb-19	1,388	1,639.6
Mar-19	1,560.7	1,655.7
Apr-19	1,513.8	1,662.3
May-19	1,693.1	1,675.5
Jun-19	1,659.1	1,669.9
Jul-19	1,680.5	1,721.1
Aug-19	1,737.6	1,748.3
Sep-19	1,758.3	1,778.6
Oct-19	1,867.2	1,807.6
Nov-19	2,118.4	1,814.3
Dec-19	2,306.7	1,915.3
Jan-20	1,712.5	1,854.4
Feb-20	1,675.8	1,940.4
Mar-20	2,069	2,196.3
Apr-20	2,615.4	2,809.9
May-20	2,859.1	2,877.8
Jun-20	2,766.6	2,783.2
Jul-20	2,950.5	2,975.7
Aug-20	3,135.7	3,131.2
Sep-20	3,010	3,070.6
Oct-20	3,157.6	3,090.8
Nov-20	3,632.1	3,039.1
Dec-20	3,548.7	2,964.6
Jan-21	2,740.4	3,014.7
Feb-21	2,496.6	2,952.7
Mar-21	2,856.7	3,020.8
Apr-21	2,677.1	2,898.2
May-21	2,759.4	2,767.9
Jun-21	3,092.7	3,090.1

Total online, original and seasonally adjusted

["","Original","Seasonally adjusted"]

[["Jan-15","Feb-15","Mar-15","Apr-15","May-15","Jun-15","Jul-15","Aug-15","Sep-15","Oct-15","Nov-15","Dec-15","Jan-16","Feb-16","Mar-16","Apr-16","May-16","Jun-16","Jul-16","Aug-16","Sep-16","Oct-16","Nov-16","Dec-16","Jan-17","Feb-17","Mar-17","Apr-17","May-17","Jun-17","Jul-17","Aug-17","Sep-17","Oct-17","Nov-17","Dec-17","Jan-18","Feb-18","Mar-18","Apr-18","May-18","Jun-18","Jul-18","Aug-18","Sep-18","Oct-18","Nov-18","Dec-18","Jan-19","Feb-19","Mar-19","Apr-19","May-19","Jun-19","Jul-19","Aug-19","Sep-19","Oct-19","Nov-19","Dec-19","Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21"],[[665.5],[615.5],[719.4],[697.1],[740.1],[790.5],[750.9],[760.8],[794.6],[789.3],[892.7],[998.9],[780.6],[732.2],[810.6],[771.4],[840.4],[904.1],[827.3],[871.8],[923.8],[986],[1108.8],[1265.1],[903],[825.4],[939.1],[862],[1000.7],[1039.3],[1048.2],[1133.8],[1109.3],[1234.8],[1510.6],[1601.8],[1229.4],[1201.2],[1360.6],[1351.9],[1483.5],[1484],[1447.6],[1499],[1485.4],[1621.5],[1929.6],[1950.6],[1520.1],[1388],[1560.7],[1513.8],[1693.1],[1659.1],[1680.5],[1737.6],[1758.3],[1867.2],[2118.4],[2306.7],[1712.5],[1675.8],[2069],[2615.4],[2859.1],[2766.6],[2950.5],[3135.7],[3010],[3157.6],[3632.1],[3548.7],[2740.4],[2496.6],[2856.7],[2677.1],[2759.4],[3092.7]],[[709.7],[719.7],[750.6],[753.3],[765.2],[788.3],[772.5],[791.2],[796.8],[763.9],[777.9],[806.2],[844.5],[822.3],[836.8],[855.5],[858.8],[886.4],[875.1],[890.1],[925.1],[959.9],[956.7],[1028.1],[976.1],[966.9],[964.6],[953],[1008.7],[1029],[1096.5],[1148.1],[1139.6],[1197.4],[1268.3],[1321.4],[1332.6],[1416.6],[1437.5],[1466.4],[1488.6],[1501],[1496.3],[1488],[1528.6],[1568.4],[1624.2],[1618.3],[1657.4],[1639.6],[1655.7],[1662.3],[1675.5],[1669.9],[1721.1],[1748.3],[1778.6],[1807.6],[1814.3],[1915.3],[1854.4],[1940.4],[2196.3],[2809.9],[2877.8],[2783.2],[2975.7],[3131.2],[3070.6],[3090.8],[3039.1],[2964.6],[3014.7],[2952.7],[3020.8],[2898.2],[2767.9],[3090.1]]]

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In through-the-year, seasonally adjusted terms, online sales are up 11.0% on June 2020.

Total online, seasonally adjusted, through-the-year
	Seasonally adjusted (%)
Jan-15	29.7
Feb-15	23.8
Mar-15	34.7
Apr-15	31.4
May-15	29.3
Jun-15	32.0
Jul-15	24.8
Aug-15	25.7
Sep-15	22.4
Oct-15	12.8
Nov-15	15.3
Dec-15	16.9
Jan-16	19.0
Feb-16	14.3
Mar-16	11.5
Apr-16	13.6
May-16	12.2
Jun-16	12.4
Jul-16	13.3
Aug-16	12.5
Sep-16	16.1
Oct-16	25.7
Nov-16	23.0
Dec-16	27.5
Jan-17	15.6
Feb-17	17.6
Mar-17	15.3
Apr-17	11.4
May-17	17.5
Jun-17	16.1
Jul-17	25.3
Aug-17	29.0
Sep-17	23.2
Oct-17	24.7
Nov-17	32.6
Dec-17	28.5
Jan-18	36.5
Feb-18	46.5
Mar-18	49.0
Apr-18	53.9
May-18	47.6
Jun-18	45.9
Jul-18	36.5
Aug-18	29.6
Sep-18	34.1
Oct-18	31.0
Nov-18	28.1
Dec-18	22.5
Jan-19	24.4
Feb-19	15.7
Mar-19	15.2
Apr-19	13.4
May-19	12.6
Jun-19	11.3
Jul-19	15.0
Aug-19	17.5
Sep-19	16.4
Oct-19	15.3
Nov-19	11.7
Dec-19	18.4
Jan-20	11.9
Feb-20	18.3
Mar-20	32.7
Apr-20	69.0
May-20	71.8
Jun-20	66.7
Jul-20	72.9
Aug-20	79.1
Sep-20	72.6
Oct-20	71.0
Nov-20	67.5
Dec-20	54.8
Jan-21	62.6
Feb-21	52.2
Mar-21	37.5
Apr-21	3.1
May-21	-3.8
Jun-21	11.0

Total online, seasonally adjusted, through-the-year

["","Seasonally adjusted"]

[["Jan-15","Feb-15","Mar-15","Apr-15","May-15","Jun-15","Jul-15","Aug-15","Sep-15","Oct-15","Nov-15","Dec-15","Jan-16","Feb-16","Mar-16","Apr-16","May-16","Jun-16","Jul-16","Aug-16","Sep-16","Oct-16","Nov-16","Dec-16","Jan-17","Feb-17","Mar-17","Apr-17","May-17","Jun-17","Jul-17","Aug-17","Sep-17","Oct-17","Nov-17","Dec-17","Jan-18","Feb-18","Mar-18","Apr-18","May-18","Jun-18","Jul-18","Aug-18","Sep-18","Oct-18","Nov-18","Dec-18","Jan-19","Feb-19","Mar-19","Apr-19","May-19","Jun-19","Jul-19","Aug-19","Sep-19","Oct-19","Nov-19","Dec-19","Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21"],[[29.7],[23.8],[34.7],[31.4],[29.3],[32],[24.8],[25.7],[22.4],[12.8],[15.3],[16.9],[19],[14.3],[11.5],[13.6],[12.2],[12.4],[13.3],[12.5],[16.1],[25.7],[23],[27.5],[15.6],[17.6],[15.3],[11.4],[17.5],[16.1],[25.3],[29],[23.2],[24.7],[32.6],[28.5],[36.5],[46.5],[49],[53.9],[47.6],[45.9],[36.5],[29.6],[34.1],[31],[28.1],[22.5],[24.4],[15.7],[15.2],[13.4],[12.6],[11.3],[15],[17.5],[16.4],[15.3],[11.7],[18.4],[11.9],[18.3],[32.7],[69],[71.8],[66.7],[72.9],[79.1],[72.6],[71],[67.5],[54.8],[62.6],[52.2],[37.5],[3.1],[-3.8],[11]]]

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Food and Non-food

Online sales rose for both the Food group (10.8%), and the Non-food group (12.0%) in June 2021, in seasonally adjusted terms. Both groups received a boost this month as lockdowns in several states shifted consumer activity online. Additionally, end-of-financial year sales helped to drive an increase in Non-food online sales.

In seasonally adjusted terms, Non-food online sales are up 9.4% on June 2020. Food online sales also remain elevated, up 15.4% on June 2020.

Online sales, Food and Non-food, seasonally adjusted
	Food ($m)	Non-food ($m)
Jan-15	172.7	537
Feb-15	174.9	544.8
Mar-15	183.1	567.5
Apr-15	185.1	568.2
May-15	187.5	577.7
Jun-15	196.8	591.5
Jul-15	203.6	568.9
Aug-15	209.4	581.8
Sep-15	215.9	580.9
Oct-15	211.5	552.4
Nov-15	211.3	566.6
Dec-15	222.8	583.4
Jan-16	208.4	636.1
Feb-16	211.4	610.9
Mar-16	211	625.7
Apr-16	218.4	637.2
May-16	208.4	650.4
Jun-16	212.7	673.7
Jul-16	210.9	664.2
Aug-16	221.5	668.6
Sep-16	221.6	703.6
Oct-16	234.2	725.6
Nov-16	240.6	716.1
Dec-16	246.6	781.5
Jan-17	262.3	713.8
Feb-17	261.4	705.5
Mar-17	251.5	713
Apr-17	273.4	679.6
May-17	280.4	728.3
Jun-17	289.5	739.5
Jul-17	285.3	811.2
Aug-17	282.2	865.9
Sep-17	285.6	853.9
Oct-17	294.8	902.6
Nov-17	308.1	960.2
Dec-17	325.5	995.9
Jan-18	334.8	997.8
Feb-18	350.4	1,066.2
Mar-18	354.8	1,082.7
Apr-18	360.2	1,106.2
May-18	365.7	1,122.9
Jun-18	366	1,135
Jul-18	379.3	1,117
Aug-18	382.4	1,105.7
Sep-18	386.2	1,142.4
Oct-18	385.8	1,182.6
Nov-18	413.7	1,210.5
Dec-18	429.7	1,188.6
Jan-19	433.4	1,224
Feb-19	429.1	1,210.5
Mar-19	441.9	1,213.9
Apr-19	437.5	1,224.8
May-19	448.7	1,226.8
Jun-19	446.7	1,223.2
Jul-19	451.1	1,270
Aug-19	461.1	1,287.2
Sep-19	480.7	1,297.9
Oct-19	521	1,286.6
Nov-19	490.9	1,323.4
Dec-19	489	1,426.3
Jan-20	510.7	1,343.7
Feb-20	544	1,396.4
Mar-20	521.8	1,674.5
Apr-20	606.4	2,203.5
May-20	717.2	2,160.6
Jun-20	752.9	2,030.3
Jul-20	805.1	2,170.6
Aug-20	854.2	2,276.9
Sep-20	865.3	2,205.3
Oct-20	870.2	2,220.6
Nov-20	812.3	2,226.8
Dec-20	861.3	2,103.3
Jan-21	898.3	2,116.4
Feb-21	884.5	2,068.1
Mar-21	931.1	2,089.7
Apr-21	889.6	2,008.6
May-21	784.8	1,983.2
Jun-21	869.2	2,220.9

Online sales, Food and Non-food, seasonally adjusted

["","Food","Non-food"]

[["Jan-15","Feb-15","Mar-15","Apr-15","May-15","Jun-15","Jul-15","Aug-15","Sep-15","Oct-15","Nov-15","Dec-15","Jan-16","Feb-16","Mar-16","Apr-16","May-16","Jun-16","Jul-16","Aug-16","Sep-16","Oct-16","Nov-16","Dec-16","Jan-17","Feb-17","Mar-17","Apr-17","May-17","Jun-17","Jul-17","Aug-17","Sep-17","Oct-17","Nov-17","Dec-17","Jan-18","Feb-18","Mar-18","Apr-18","May-18","Jun-18","Jul-18","Aug-18","Sep-18","Oct-18","Nov-18","Dec-18","Jan-19","Feb-19","Mar-19","Apr-19","May-19","Jun-19","Jul-19","Aug-19","Sep-19","Oct-19","Nov-19","Dec-19","Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21"],[[172.7],[174.9],[183.1],[185.1],[187.5],[196.8],[203.6],[209.4],[215.9],[211.5],[211.3],[222.8],[208.4],[211.4],[211],[218.4],[208.4],[212.7],[210.9],[221.5],[221.6],[234.2],[240.6],[246.6],[262.3],[261.4],[251.5],[273.4],[280.4],[289.5],[285.3],[282.2],[285.6],[294.8],[308.1],[325.5],[334.8],[350.4],[354.8],[360.2],[365.7],[366],[379.3],[382.4],[386.2],[385.8],[413.7],[429.7],[433.4],[429.1],[441.9],[437.5],[448.7],[446.7],[451.1],[461.1],[480.7],[521],[490.9],[489],[510.7],[544],[521.8],[606.4],[717.2],[752.9],[805.1],[854.2],[865.3],[870.2],[812.3],[861.3],[898.3],[884.5],[931.1],[889.6],[784.8],[869.2]],[[537],[544.8],[567.5],[568.2],[577.7],[591.5],[568.9],[581.8],[580.9],[552.4],[566.6],[583.4],[636.1],[610.9],[625.7],[637.2],[650.4],[673.7],[664.2],[668.6],[703.6],[725.6],[716.1],[781.5],[713.8],[705.5],[713],[679.6],[728.3],[739.5],[811.2],[865.9],[853.9],[902.6],[960.2],[995.9],[997.8],[1066.2],[1082.7],[1106.2],[1122.9],[1135],[1117],[1105.7],[1142.4],[1182.6],[1210.5],[1188.6],[1224],[1210.5],[1213.9],[1224.8],[1226.8],[1223.2],[1270],[1287.2],[1297.9],[1286.6],[1323.4],[1426.3],[1343.7],[1396.4],[1674.5],[2203.5],[2160.6],[2030.3],[2170.6],[2276.9],[2205.3],[2220.6],[2226.8],[2103.3],[2116.4],[2068.1],[2089.7],[2008.6],[1983.2],[2220.9]]]

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As a proportion of total group industry turnover, Non-food online sales were 16.3% of total Non-food sales in June 2021, in original terms. The proportion of total Food sales made online was 5.4% in June 2021, in original terms.

Total online sales were 10.5% of total sales in June 2021, a significant rise from May 2021 (9.1%). The proportion of sales made online has risen when compared to June 2020 (9.7%).

Proportion of industry group turnover online, original
	Food (%)	Non-food (%)	Total (%)
Feb-20	3.4	10.9	6.6
Mar-20	3.1	13	7.1
Apr-20	4.1	20.5	11.1
May-20	5	16.1	10.1
Jun-20	4.9	15	9.7
Jul-20	5.2	15.2	9.8
Aug-20	5.8	17.6	11
Sep-20	5.7	16.8	10.6
Oct-20	5.3	16.6	10.4
Nov-20	5.2	16.8	11
Dec-20	4.5	13.6	9.1
Jan-21	5.2	13.9	9.1
Feb-21	5.4	14.2	9.3
Mar-21	5.6	14.1	9.4
Apr-21	5.1	14	9.2
May-21	4.9	14.2	9.1
Jun-21	5.4	16.3	10.5

Proportion of industry group turnover online, original

["","Food","Non-food","Total"]

[["Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21"],[[3.4],[3.1],[4.1],[5],[4.9],[5.2],[5.8],[5.7],[5.3],[5.2],[4.5],[5.2],[5.4],[5.6],[5.1],[4.9],[5.4]],[[10.9],[13],[20.5],[16.1],[15],[15.2],[17.6],[16.8],[16.6],[16.8],[13.6],[13.9],[14.2],[14.1],[14],[14.2],[16.3]],[[6.6],[7.1],[11.1],[10.1],[9.7],[9.8],[11],[10.6],[10.4],[11],[9.1],[9.1],[9.3],[9.4],[9.2],[9.1],[10.5]]]

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Changes to the online series

The data was previously published as an experimental series, in original data only, as an Appendix to the Retail Trade publication. It was disaggregated by whether the retailer was "Pure-play" (online only) or "Multi-channel" (mix of online and physical stores).

Over time, the split between Pure-play and Multi-channel remained stable, with Pure-play online retailers averaging 38.0% of total online sales.

In June 2021, Pure-play retailers made up 32.0% of online sales and 3.3% of total sales. Online sales for multi-channel retailers made up 7.2% of total retail sales.

The online series continues to use the same source data, and represents purchases made via the internet from employing retail businesses who predominately sell to households. The series excludes direct imports (e.g. purchased directly from an overseas website) and sales from 'households-to-households' through third party websites for example. More information can be found in the information paper Measurement of Online Retail Trade in Macroeconomics (cat. no. 8501.0.55.007).

Seasonal adjustment has been calculated for the new series using the concurrent seasonal adjustment method, meaning that seasonal factors are re-estimated each time a new data point becomes available. Unusual real-world events, such as COVID-19, can distort estimates calculated using the method. Like the total retail series, trend cannot be calculated due to the volatility of the retail series during COVID-19.

APA

Citation

Online sales, June 2021 - Supplementary COVID-19 analysis

APA

Citation

Total online retail

Food and Non-food

Changes to the online series

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