Two-in-five Australians set to shop the End of Financial Year sales
New research from PayPal reveals that two-in-five (38%) Australians plan to shop during the End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales, but not predominantly for traditional tax-deductible work expenses. Instead, a significant portion of shoppers will be focusing on personal items such as clothing or fashion (51%), electronics (31%), homewares and garden items (26%), and health and beauty products (12%).
The current economic climate is a major factor influencing this broader bargain-hunting behaviour. More than half (52%) of Australians believe that online sales can help them manage cost-of-living pressures. Reflecting this sentiment, two-in-five (42%) will shop the EOFY sales online rather than in-store, driven by the convenience of price comparisons and the perception of better deals online.
“As the cost-of-living crisis continues, it’s clear that Australians are eager to save money whenever and wherever they can, looking to online sales events to help reduce spending,” said PayPal Consumer Shopping Expert Bonnie Brady. She advises that while sales can be an excellent opportunity to save on necessary items, planning purchases and setting budgets are crucial to avoid impulse buying and overspending.
However, the shift towards online shopping comes with increased security concerns. A substantial majority of Australians (93%) are worried about online security, with scams becoming more sophisticated and harder to recognise. This concern has grown over the past year, with two-in-five (40%) Australians more worried about online security than before.
Despite these concerns, there is a strong awareness of online security measures among Australians. About 84% feel confident in their understanding of how to protect themselves against scams, and 99% are familiar with key online safety techniques such as using complex passwords (87%), diversifying passwords (76%), and avoiding links in text messages (76%). Additionally, four-in-five (84%) prefer to use secure payment options like PayPal when shopping online.
Unfortunately, heightened vigilance against scams has led to some disruptions in legitimate activities. For example, 87% of Australians avoid phone calls from unknown numbers due to scam fears, and 15% have missed a genuine payment assuming it was fraudulent.
Bonnie Brady emphasises the importance of staying informed about online safety: “The convenience of online shopping has never been more popular, but we must all do the work to learn how to stay safe online, and to keep that understanding up as new threats emerge. The protective steps that each of us can take are simple and often free, but no one can take them for us.”
To help consumers shop safely and smartly during the EOFY sales, PayPal offers the following tips:
- Plan purchases: Make a list and budget before shopping to avoid impulse buys.
- Scrutinise suspicious sites: Look out for fake retail sites by checking for anomalies and verifying URLs.
- Check reviews: Look up online reviews to avoid fraudulent sellers.
- Understand return options: Ensure the retailer has a reasonable return policy.
- Compare prices in real time: Use tools like PayPal Honey to find the best deals and apply discount codes automatically.
- Keep financial details safe: Use secure payment methods like PayPal to protect your information.
These strategies can help Australians make the most of the EOFY sales while staying safe and within budget.
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