Australian consumers are busy, very busy; so when it comes to Christmas shopping, convenience is king. And for many, online shopping is a gift in itself this time of year!

Online shopping makes it simple for consumers to browse and buy with just a click – anywhere, anytime. In the lead up to this year’s silly season, we are seeing more and more consumers buying online, driving a notable jump in audience numbers for some of Australia’s biggest online retail stores.

Our latest research has revealed double-digit growth for many major online retailers in November 2014 compared to the prior month, as consumers took advantage of the latest deals, range of choices and the shortcut to the Christmas checkout queue.

Among retailers with digital audiences of more than a million people per month, Kmart Australia led the growth story with an additional 447,000 people during November 2014 (+44%), followed by Kogan which gained an incremental 308,000 people (+26%) and JB Hi-Fi with an additional 308,000 (+21%) compared to the prior month. Other retailers that showed significant audience growth compared to the same time period last year include Bing Lee (+102%), Rivers (+53%) and ToysRus (+49%).

Our research shows that 42% of all online sessions during November 2014 was through a mobile device; an increase of 12 percentage points from 30% the same month a year ago. With this increasing adoption and use of mobile connected devices, we see no reason for growth in online retail audiences to slow.

A simple, engaging and convenient online retail strategy is vital for brands as we move further into the converged online-offline world that is escalating in today’s Australia retail environment.

By focusing on unmet needs, a convenient and seamless shopping experience, and developing a market-ready offer that delights the Australian consumer, marketers and manufacturers will create the best opportunity to not only increase eye balls to their site, but create a sales conversation.