Sendle 2020 Small Business Survey

In July 2020 we spoke to our Aussie small business customers to find out how they’ve weathered the COVID storm. Australia’s future depends on them! Here are the results.

eCommerce Boom

COVID has triggered the biggest shift to eCommerce that Australia has ever seen. At Sendle, we’ve been delivering Christmas peak parcel volumes every week during the pandemic.

2.5x

In April 2020, Sendle saw 2.5x more SMBs sending parcels for the very first time than in the same month last year.

80%

In July 2020, Sendle’s parcel volumes were up 80% on the busy Christmas period last year as online sales skyrocket.

Leonie O’Brien runs her candle making side hustle Pretty Frank on top of her day job. She manages her store on Shopify and uses Sendle for delivery - the ideal eCommerce and shipping combo!

I moved my store to Shopify at the end of last year, and since then it’s gone from strength to strength. Seeing it grow online during a global pandemic is so exciting, but it is a balancing act between day job and side-hustle but this business is my passion.

Leonie O'Brien, Pretty Frank, Sydney

Small business growth across Australia

From April to July, Sendle not only saw parcel volume growth in Australia’s capital cities but also in regional areas.

Growth areas included Dably (QLD), Mullumbimby (NSW), Nabour(QLD), Southport (QLD) and Yamba (NSW).

Impact on Growth

We’re pleased to say the majority of our small business customers are feeling optimistic, resilient and agile despite all the challenges.

49%

have grown their business during the coronavirus pandemic, while 27% have maintained it at the same level.

22%

have had to pivot their business so they can continue selling and make a living during COVID.

43%

that started shipping with Sendle during the pandemic are running a side hustle (part-time business).

85%

are feeling optimistic about their business prospects heading into the second half of 2020.

James Dumay, Wildspirit Distilling Co, Sydney

James Dumay from Wildspirit in Sydney had to pivot online for the first time, but he credits eCommerce for keeping his gin distillery business afloat and says it has opened new doors.

We were able to go from no online sales to online sales and that paid the bills, kept people employed until some of that government help came in, and with eCommerce there’s more opportunities that we need to go out and exploit over the coming months.

Buy Local

COVID has revived the shop local movement as Aussie consumers opt to buy Australian made products and support local businesses.

61% sell locally made

Most small businesses using Sendle sell Australian made products.

The most popular locally made products sold during COVID include

Home & garden

Giftware

Beauty

Clothing & footware

Food & beverage

55%

say they’ve seen higher than usual demand for their locally made products during the pandemic.

54%

are selling products that are 75% or more made from ethical or sustainable materials.

Research firm Nielsen says COVID-19 has made Aussie consumers more conscious and ethically minded, and says they are becoming more “aware” and “wary” of products made overseas.

Jacob Leung and Sarah-Jane Ho launched their eCommerce gift hamper business Good Day People during the pandemic in an effort to promote local Australian businesses facing a difficult year.

Over 95% of the products on our online gift store are Australian made. It was even important to us that our packaging is all made within Australia too. We are an Australian business supporting Australian small businesses.

Jacob Leung & Sarah-Jane Ho, Good Day People, Sydney

Small businesses employ so many Australians and we need to do what we can to help them survive and more importantly thrive and so parcel delivery, believe it or not, has become a really important ingredient in the entire eCommerce chain.

James Chin Moody, CEO and Co-Founder of Sendle

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