A recent report from an online payment provider found Australia experienced its busiest period of online shopping ever during the Christmas holiday season in 2011.

A leading retail industry group recently predicted that Australian retailers will experience a 2.4 percent annual increase in post-Christmas trading.

Shoppers in Western Australia recently turned to online shopping for Christmas gifts and other purchases in response to restricted trading hours at shopping malls.

A significant number of Australian shoppers took advantage of sales surrounding Christmas Day and Boxing Day, suggesting consumer confidence is on the rise and an economic turn-around might be imminent.

Private online shopping club Ozsale is celebrating the end of a successful 2011, as the etailer generated enough revenue to open a new distribution centre and employ 240 people in 2012.

The current economic climate is compelling some consumers to decrease their holiday spending.

The Australian National Retailers Association recently predicted shoppers will each spend an average of $1,100 during the weeks leading up to Christmas, totalling $25 billion.

The International Council of Shopping Centres recently reported that only a third of 1,100 enclosed regional shopping malls in the United States are viable, and American developers are moving towards big-box centres close to large retailers such as WalMart.

Deloitte's 26th annual holiday survey found online retailers should be prepared for strong sales this holiday shopping season.

Myer recently announced it will be closing stores and reducing floor space in an effort to increase its online sales to 10 percent of its total revenue.