3 out of 4 Aussie internet users shop online

In 201213, 76 percent 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) on Tuesday. Data shows that the proportion of internet users is 84 percent among males, slightly higher than women's 83 percent. However, the reverse is true for online shopping in 201213. Some 76 percent of female internet users shopped online compared to 75 percent of male internet users. The most popular types of purchases were travel, accommodation, memberships or tickets of any kind for both males and females, ABS Assistant Director of the Innovation and Technology Statistics Branch, David Taylor said. The second most popular online shopping items for females were clothes, cosmetics or jewellery (59 percent), in comparison to males second most popular purchases of CDs, music, DVDs, videos, books or magazines (50 percent). 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 percent of 15 to 17 year olds and 92 percent of 18 to 24 year olds performed this activity. 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. Internet users refer to persons aged 15 and over who accessed the internet from any site within the previous 12 months.