The online shopping boom means a record week for Australia Post ahead of Christmas, with parcel deliveries up about a third compared to this time last year. Australia Post reports online shopping growth was up by more than 42 per cent in the four days before Cyber Monday, with 2.2 million households clicking "add to cart". "No-one could have predicted in March the seismic shift the COVID-19 pandemic would create," said Australia Post business manager Gary Starr. "It's exceeded every expectation and we're looking forward to seeing how this continues this month. "This week is shaping to be our busiest ever - from Monday, we'll deliver more than 13 million parcels in total, almost three million more than the same week last year." NSW had a third of total purchase volume of the online sales, according to Australia Post, and Victorians made a quarter of all online buys. ONLINE BOOM DRIVES RECORD PARCEL DELIVERIES * Australia Post says 2.2 million households shopped online ahead of Cyber Monday, up more than 42 per cent on the same period last year * Major and discount store sales and pet products purchases were up by 80 per cent. Home and garden goods purchases were up 50 per cent. Other popular categories included fashion and apparel (up 41 per cent) and variety stores (up 20 per cent) * NSW had a third of total purchase volume and Victoria had a quarter * From Monday, Australia Post will deliver more than 13 million parcels, up by about three million on the same week last year * Australia Post says this year's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales have fuelled the biggest parcel boom in its history * More than 630 tonnes of airfreight between Black Friday and Tuesday - 200 tonnes more than a year ago. Australian Associated Press