Australians Are Researching Harder Before They Buy. Show Up in the Research.

Australians are shopping more carefully, and a new IAB Australia report puts numbers on it. Its Evolving Search Journeys study found 69% of Australian online shoppers rely on online research to feel confident before they buy. Cost-of-living pressure is the driver. When money is tight, people validate across more sources before they commit.

AI is part of that research now, but trust is not keeping pace with usage. Around 60% of online shoppers use AI-powered tools at least sometimes when shopping, rising to 75% among those aged 18 to 39. Yet 80% hold some concern about using AI to research products, 78% use an AI summary for a quick answer and then click through to a website for detail, and 74% treat AI as one of several sources rather than the only one. The report surveyed 1,079 Australians and 877 New Zealanders aged 18 to 70 who had shopped online in the past year.

Creators matter too. Up to 68% use social media to discover, research or compare products, rising to 88% among 18 to 39 year olds. Trust is the gate. 86% say the reputation of the brand being promoted is at least somewhat important when they act on a creator recommendation.

The deliberate shopper is your shopper. If Australians research across AI, reviews, social and your own site before buying, then every one of those touchpoints is a conversion surface, not just the checkout. The 78% who read an AI summary and then click through to a website is the whole game. The visit still comes, but only to the brands that gave the AI something worth summarising and the site something worth clicking to.

The Australian buyer is doing more homework than ever, and the brands that make that homework easy will win the sale.