By XAVIER SMERDON
WERRIBEE residents are choosing to do their shopping from behind their computer screens more and more and are currently spending more than eight times the national average online.
According to a study that examined where online shoppers live, commissioned by brandsExclusive, Werribee ranked fifth on the list of Australia’s top online shopping areas.
The study found that across all online stores, people from Werribee outspent capital cities such as Adelaide, Perth and Hobart by making 8.2 times more online orders than the national average.
Sydney topped the list with Melbourne, New South Wale’s Liverpool and North Sydney also in the top five. The study collated postcodes in order to determine where shoppers lived.
Managing director of brandsExclusive, Daniel Jarosch, said it was not surprising to see an area like Werribee so high up on the list.
“The savviest Aussie e-shoppers are no longer just found in Australia’s metropolitan cities, but in the suburbs and rural towns of Australia, suggesting the high cost of living and limited range and access to brands in suburban and regional Australia is fuelling this trend,” Mr Jarosch said.
“Internet commerce is fast becoming a part of Australian life and some parts of Australia are now hot spots for e-tail growth, adopting it faster than others.”
President of the Werribee Chamber of Commerce Peter Ross said it was important for residents to make an effort to spend money locally in order to support Wyndham’s small business owners.
“I am surprised by those results and I would encourage people to get out of the house, come out and meet some friends in some of our great stores,” Mr Ross said.
“Quite often people in Werribee have kids who are looking for part time jobs and if we don’t support local businesses then that makes finding a job a lot harder.
“You can’t get a part time job online.”
Mr Ross said the Chamber of Commerce was doing its part to try and encourage people away from the computers and into the stores.
“We’re holding the twilight market down Watton St once a month again this year from October through to April,” he said.
“Hopefully that will get people browsing through stores and talking to shop owners.
“We make look at doing it more often if it proves popular.”
Email market@werribeechamber.com.au for more information on the twilight market.
