Surge in camping gear sales as Aussies seek adventures

Australians are getting ready to holiday locally with new data pointing to a surge in camping, adventure and outdoor equipment. Research from Australian-based online marketplace Payday Deals reveals a big spike in online purchases focused on adventure holidays - as border closures and restrictions prevent Australians from spending on more extravagant travel adventures or overseas holidays.

“Instead of going interstate or overseas, it’s clear people have decided to holiday intrastate,” said Payday Deals CEO Rojie Tadros.

“With the borders closed, and continued uncertainty over travel arrangements, our data shows that there’s a conscious effort to stay local and holiday within our own regions, which is great to see.”

Out of Payday Deals’ national customer base, the online retailer saw the purchase of camping and outdoor goods increase 49% in July and August compared to last quarter. The findings reveal that Aussies are looking for a slice of adventure and nature wherever they can enjoy it after being stuck in lockdown for months due to coronavirus restrictions.

This comes at a time when domestic tourism spending has dropped significantly. Tourism Research Australia reported domestic tourism spending plummeted by $11.7 billion between April and May in Australia as lockdowns wreaked havoc on travel plans. In April alone, Australians took 9.6 million fewer domestic overnight trips compared the same time last year, however Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania have seen some rebound in following months in intrastate travel.

Rojie Tadros, CEO and Founder of Payday Deals, said the online retailer had seen high demand for adventure and outdoor entertainment goods in the states hit worst by the pandemic over the last few months.

“Over July and August, we’ve seen a significant spike in orders for camping gear such as tents and sleeping bags, as well as outdoor living and entertaining items such as outdoor dining sets and lounges. Leading the demand for these items is Victoria, the state now facing the harshest lockdown conditions the nation has had to date, making up 30% of all orders on the mentioned categories. This is followed by New South Wales at 29.1% of orders, and 23% by Queenslanders,” said Mr Tadros. 

“In Comparison, Western Australians only made up 6.6% of the orders, while South Australians placed 5.8%, Tasmania at 3%, the Australian Capital Territory at 1.6%, and finally the Northern Territory at a tiny 0.2%. It seems residents in these states, which have seen restrictions relax significantly since July, don’t have the same need to buy this kind of gear as they have more opportunity to travel intrastate and enjoy larger entertaining venues within their own borders,” he added. 

“We’re not surprised to see an increase in spending on these items as ecommerce sales have been going strong since lockdown began. These conditions, combined with the recent boost of cash flow to many Australians receiving tax refunds, has helped support this trend into the second half of 2020. Aussies who would have put their return towards a larger travel trip or going out for a big night, have instead put it towards investing in items to enjoy the great outdoors on their own terms,” Mr Tadros concluded. 

In addition to adventure items, Payday Deals also saw high demand for household furniture, home decor, garden and pet items in its latest month of sales, a trend which continued from earlier in the year throughout lockdown. 

Payday Deals is a leading Australian-based online marketplace with some of the most competitive prices and deals on over 25,000 products across a variety of categories including Homes & Garden, Baby & Kids, Pets, Appliances, Sports & Outdoors, Fitness, Electronics, Gifts & Novelty, Tools & Equipment, and Health & Beauty. It ships to all states in Australia. 

Demand for camping & outdoor goods

Top 10 camping and outdoor living items for orders:

1. Outdoor garden lounge sets

2. Outdoor dining sets

3. Collapsible terrace side awnings

4. Garden benches

5. Swing chairs

6. Swags & tents

7. Sleeping bags

8. Portable washing basins

9. Outdoor gas water heater

State breakdown of orders from this category:

• ACT: 1.6%

• NSW: 29.1%

• NT: 0.2%

• QLD: 23%

• SA: 5.8%

• TAS: 3%

• VIC: 30.7%

• WA: 6.6%

Overall sales trends 

Top 10 product categories for orders (1st July - 15th August)

1. Living room furniture e.g. chairs, coffee tables, sofas

2. Bedroom furniture e.g. beds, mattresses, side tables

3. Outdoor living e.g. outdoor furniture sets

4. Aroma diffusers and humidifiers

5. Office furniture e.g. Desks, chairs

6. Camping equipment e.g. swags, portable showers, sleeping bags

7. Gardening tools e.g. chainsaws, trimmers, greenhouses

8. Home Decor e.g. clocks, rugs, curtains

9. Pets e.g. Dog beds, cat scratching posts

10. Baby & Kids (toys, ride on cars, kids beds)

About Payday Deals:

Payday Deals is a leading Australian-based online marketplace with some of the most competitive prices and deals on a variety of goods across Homes & Garden, Baby & Kids, Pets, Appliances, Sports & Outdoors, Fitness, Electronics, Gifts & Novelty, Tools & Equipment, and Health & Beauty. Founded by Rojie Tadros in 2017, PayDay Deals has a reputation as one of Australia’s best and most reliable online shopping sites. It offers buy now pay later services, including AfterPay and ZipPay.