Despite Internet leading the pack.
Advertising in Australia is increasingly moving online and 80% of Australians say the Internet is the ‘Media Most Useful’ for providing purchase-related information in the year to September 2017.
However, although the Internet is key to how Australians find purchase-related information, other media are still considered by many as the most useful way to find information across a variety of categories and in some categories remains the most useful medium ahead of the Internet.
Media Most Useful for providing Consumer Information (Across any category)
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source: October 2016 – September 2017 interviews with 50,020 Australians aged 14+. Respondents are asked to nominate which media they find most useful for providing information across *28 categories.
Analysing Australians’ Internet usage more closely reveals that although 70% of Australians use Internet Search to find purchase-related information, 45% of Australians access other non-search websites directly, a figure more in line with that seen for other media channels.
The leading category for both Internet, and specifically Internet Search, is travel and accommodation – for which 67% of Australians consider the Internet in general and 48% of Australians Internet Search in particular the most useful medium compared to 22% that use non-search websites.
Catalogues are clearly considered the next best media in many product categories by significant proportions of the population well ahead of other traditional media channels and also ahead of non-search websites on the Internet.
More than a quarter of Australians turn to Catalogues as the most useful information media when selecting children’s wear (33%), purchasing toys (32%), selecting clothing & fashion (30%), purchasing cosmetics & toiletries (30%) and purchasing small electrical appliances (29%).
Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine said, “Catalogues are rated highly by consumers for information about selecting children’s wear, purchasing toys, selecting clothing & fashion, purchasing cosmetics & toiletries, purchasing small electrical appliances and purchasing large kitchen/laundry appliances whilst many consumers turn to magazines for information on Home improvements and renovations, Home interiors and furnishings and Health and fitness products and consumers turn to newspapers for information on new and used motor vehicles, real estate, employment and jobs and entertainment services.”