AUSTRALIANS’ love affair with online shopping is as strong as ever and most Aussie shoppers are happy for deliveries to be left in a safe place rather than requiring a signature or being picked up at the post office.

A new survey by leading insurer Budget Direct shows 54 per cent of shoppers believe their package will be secure if they instruct the courier to ‘Find a safe place’, ahead of ‘Return to post office if no one is home’ on 28 per cent.

A further 25 per cent said they like to ‘Require a signature’ to ensure their package is delivered safe and sound, while 25 per cent also added special instructions to their safe place request (for example, behind the pot plant).

“Aussies love the convenience of online shopping and it seems we also think our package is going to be just fine when we get home if we ask for it to be left in a safe place,” a Budget Direct spokesperson said.

“However, choosing the option to ‘leave in a safe place’ is doing so at your own risk (based on the T&C’s of the delivery provider), and whenever possible, we recommend being present to receive deliveries and/or use other secure delivery options.

“Our research goes to show that online shopping is now just a way of life, and it’s great to see 39 per cent of people said they had security cameras installed, while 23 per cent lived in gated communities, so there are some good layers of security built into those responses.”

The survey, which polled almost 1,000 Australians across various age groups and locations, found that online shopping is part of the regular shop for many Aussies, with 38 per cent making a purchase monthly online, 30 per cent fortnightly and 21 per cent weekly.

Clothing and shoes are the most popular online purchases (75 per cent), followed by groceries (51 per cent), beauty items or makeup (42 per cent) and electrical appliances (34 per cent).

Phone and technology products (33 per cent), homeware and furniture (32 per cent) and pet products (28 per cent) were also common items to turn up on the doorstep.

The most expensive online purchase for most shoppers (40 per cent) falls in the $100-$500 range, while 37 per cent of those surveyed said ‘There’s nothing I wouldn’t buy online’, although jewellery topped the list of things respondents wouldn’t buy on the internet (27 per cent).

More than half of all respondents – 69 per cent – said they planned to continue or increase their online purchase in the next 12 months.