MEDIA RELEASE
25 February 2014	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	22/2014

In 2012–13, over three quarters (76 per cent) of Australia's 15.4 million internet users made a purchase or order over the internet, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Assistant Director of the Innovation and Technology Statistics Branch, David Taylor said, "The most popular types of purchases were travel, accommodation, memberships or tickets of any kind."

While there is a slightly higher proportion of male than female internet users (84 per cent compared to 83 per cent) the reverse is true for online shopping in 2012–13. Over three quarters (76 per cent) of female internet users shopped online compared to 75 per cent of male internet users.

Travel, accommodation, memberships or tickets of any kind were the most common type of purchase for both males and females. The second most popular online shopping items for females were clothes, cosmetics or jewellery (59 per cent), in comparison to males second most popular purchases of CDs, music, DVDs, videos, books or magazines (50 per cent).

The two most popular activities performed on the internet at home were paying bills or banking online and social networking. Social networking was more common for younger people: 90 per cent of 15 to 17 year olds and 92 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds performed this activity.

Further information is available in Household Use of Information Technology, Australia (cat. no. 8146.0) available for free at www.abs.gov.au.

Media note:

• Internet users refer to persons aged 15 and over who accessed the internet from any site within the previous 12 months.
• The ABS household use of information technology survey is run every two years and presents estimates on household access and personal internet use in Australia.
• When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.