AUSTRALIANS have done an amazing job adapting to COVID and the restrictions that it has brought.
We heartily loathed these restrictions on our normal freedoms, but we found some clever ways of getting on with life – like buying a lot more things online.
Across the Australian economy, the amount of online purchasing, or eCommerce, has risen almost 25 per cent in the 12 months to 31 August 2021.
But once you and I order our goods online, they need to get to us. And this is where Australia Post is doing such an important job.
Australia Post’s normal peak time of the year for parcels is Christmas. In December 2020, Australia Post delivered a record 52 million parcels for the month.
But this year’s lockdowns have seen Australia Post smash through that record.
The volume of parcels that Australia Post delivered in NSW over August this year is almost 20 per cent higher than December last year.
I understand that some Australians have been frustrated by parcel deliveries taking longer than they would like.
But the real story is how Australia Post has kept getting parcels delivered even while volumes have jumped so high.
There have also been big challenges in moving parcels around the country. Usually, Qantas and Virgin have hundreds of scheduled flights around the country each week; with that number down by up to ninety per cent, that makes it much harder to get parcels on planes.
Australia Post has worked very hard to keep parcels moving by employing an additional 4,000 workers to join the front line.
Just as they have made some changes during COVID, so have the buying habits of Australians evolved.
Based on the mix of parcels being shipped by Australia Post, early in a lockdown, consumers purchase office equipment and fitness and exercise gear to work, and workout, from home.
As the lockdown grinds on, consumers shift to other categories. For example, in the past two months online purchases of pet supplies are up by 39 per cent.
To keep up with demand, Australia Post is encouraging Australians to do their Christmas shopping earlier than usual.
Throughout the lockdowns, Australia Post has been there to keep parcels moving and keep Australians supplied with what we need.
With your help, they can get parcels delivered in time for Christmas too—so we can all have the celebration we deserve after two tough years.