In the final quarter of 2022, Australian traffic to consumer electronic/appliance and furniture/home décor websites fell 13% year-on-year, according to analysis by digital intelligence firm, Similarweb.

Web traffic data also uncovered a significant shift in consumer behaviour with more Australians searching for refurbished electronics which retail at a significantly lower price point than purchasing brand new. 

For electronic retailers, there were around 12 million fewer visits than in the same period in 2021 and for furniture retailers, this equates to a drop of almost seven million visits.

Furniture and home décor market leaders all experienced web traffic declines year-on-year in Q4 2022. IKEA was most impacted (20%), followed by Temple & Webster (12%), Fantastic Furniture (16%), Amart (16%) and Adairs (22%). Interestingly, premium bedding company, Sheet Society was the fastest growing brand in the category, with 645% year-on-year growth.

Similarweb head of account management for Australia and New Zealand, Holly Joshi said, “While home décor and furniture peaked during lockdown, the economic pressures faced by consumers are forcing it into a trough. With consumers looking to curtail expenses, many are looking for cheaper alternatives.”

Consumer electronics and home appliances category leaders all experienced web traffic declines year-on-year in Q4 2022. Harvey Norman was the most impacted retailer (22.8%), followed by Officeworks (16.4%), The Good Guys (10.7%) and JB Hi-Fi (5.4%).

Singapore-based marketplace for refurbished electronics, Reebelo, was the fastest growing site in the quarter, recording 129% year-on-year growth in Australian traffic; indicating increasing demand for refurbished products.

“Declining traffic to consumer electronics and home appliances is another example of Australians being more judicious with their purchasing decisions. The rise in traffic to marketplaces offering refurbished electronics points to a shift in consumer behaviour with Australians seeking to save money wherever they can,” Joshi said.

“Another factor behind the decline in traffic to the category leaders could be the longer lifecycle of consumer electronics – particularly phones, laptops, and TVs – as many Australians purchased these goods only a few years ago during the height of the pandemic. As such, we expect it would be a few years before these need to be replaced.”