---
title: "Department stores in Australia: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the department and discount department stores Australians shop at. Share of Search among Kmart, Big W, Target Australia, Myer, David Jones and Harris Scarfe, the department stores Brandwave compares in Australia, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-department-stores"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Department stores in Australia: Which are searched most?

Compare the department and discount department stores Australians shop at. Share of Search among Kmart, Big W, Target Australia, Myer, David Jones and Harris Scarfe, the department stores Brandwave compares in Australia, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Department stores
- **Market**: Australia
- **Brands compared**: 6
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Kmart, 39.6%

## Which brand is most popular in search among department stores in Australia?

- In September 2026, Kmart was the most searched among department stores in Australia, with an estimated 4.1M branded searches, 39.6% of all searches for the six we track.
- Big W is in 2nd place, 13.1 percentage points behind at 26.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kmart’s share of searches among department stores in Australia decreased from 41.9% to 39.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Big W’s share of searches among department stores in Australia decreased from 28% to 26.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Target Australia’s share of searches among department stores in Australia increased from 12.3% to 13.3%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Myer’s share of searches among department stores in Australia increased from 8.4% to 9.7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, David Jones’ share of searches among department stores in Australia increased from 6.8% to 8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kmart’s share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 46.8% in February 2026 and was lowest at 38% in November 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Big W’s share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 28% in October 2025 and was lowest at 23.5% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Target Australia’s share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 14% in August 2026 and was lowest at 9.9% in December 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Myer’s share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 11.4% in June 2026 and was lowest at 7.6% in January 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, David Jones’ share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 9.3% in November 2025 and was lowest at 6.3% in January 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Harris Scarfe’s share of searches among department stores in Australia peaked at 3.6% in July 2026 and was lowest at 2.3% in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Harris Scarfe held steady: its share of searches among department stores in Australia moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Top department stores in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Myer and David Jones were mentioned most often, in four of the five answers. David Jones was recommended most often, coming first in two out of three answers that gave a list. Myer was second, and Harris Scarfe was third.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| David Jones | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 |
| Myer | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 |
| Harris Scarfe | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
| Big W | 4th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Target Australia | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 |
| Kmart | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 5 |

## Every AI answer about department stores

- Asked ChatGPT "Which department store should I shop at in Australia?": 1. Myer, 2. David Jones, 3. Harris Scarfe
- Asked ChatGPT "What are the best department stores in Australia?": 1. David Jones, 2. Myer, 3. Harris Scarfe, 4. Big W, 5. Target Australia
- Asked ChatGPT "What's the best department store in Australia for homewares?": 1. David Jones, 2. Myer, 3. Harris Scarfe
- Searched Google, AI Overview "department store": 1. David Jones, 2. Myer, 3. Kmart, 4. Big W
- Searched Google, AI Overview "online clothes shopping": named none of the brands we track

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in Australia on October 22, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Kmart vs Big W: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/big-w-vs-kmart-australia): 39.6% against 26.5% Share of Search.
- [Kmart vs Target Australia: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/kmart-australia-vs-target-australia): 39.6% against 13.3% Share of Search.
- [Kmart vs Myer: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/kmart-australia-vs-myer): 39.6% against 9.7% Share of Search.
- [Kmart vs David Jones: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/david-jones-vs-kmart-australia): 39.6% against 8% Share of Search.
- [Big W vs Target Australia: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/big-w-vs-target-australia): 26.5% against 13.3% Share of Search.
- [Big W vs Myer: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/big-w-vs-myer): 26.5% against 9.7% Share of Search.
- [Big W vs David Jones: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/big-w-vs-david-jones): 26.5% against 8% Share of Search.
- [Target Australia vs Myer: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/myer-vs-target-australia): 13.3% against 9.7% Share of Search.
- [Target Australia vs David Jones: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/david-jones-vs-target-australia): 13.3% against 8% Share of Search.
- [Myer vs David Jones: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/david-jones-vs-myer): 9.7% against 8% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for Australia department stores in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Kmart gained share of searches among department stores in Australia, from 39% to 39.6%.
- In September 2026, Target Australia lost share of searches among department stores in Australia, from 14% to 13.3%.
- In September 2026, Harris Scarfe lost share of searches among department stores in Australia, from 3.5% to 2.9%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Big W in Australia fell 33% over 12 measured months, from 4.1M to 2.7M in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Myer in Australia fell 18% over 12 measured months, from 1.2M to 1M in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for David Jones in Australia fell 17.7% over 12 measured months, from 1M to 823K in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Kmart | 39.6% | 4.1M | 0.0% | Kmart |
| 2 | Big W | 26.5% | 2.7M | 0.0% | Big W |
| 3 | Target Australia | 13.3% | 1.4M | -6.7% | Target Australia |
| 4 | Myer | 9.7% | 1M | 0.0% | Myer |
| 5 | David Jones | 8% | 823K | 0.0% | David Jones |
| 6 | Harris Scarfe | 2.9% | 301K | -18.2% | Harris Scarfe |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Kmart | 6.1M | 41.9% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Big W | 4.1M | 28% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Target Australia | 1.8M | 12.3% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Myer | 1.2M | 8.4% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | David Jones | 1M | 6.8% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 2.5% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Kmart | 6.1M | 38% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Big W | 4.1M | 25.4% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Target Australia | 2.1M | 13.2% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Myer | 1.8M | 11.4% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | David Jones | 1.5M | 9.3% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Harris Scarfe | 450K | 2.8% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Kmart | 7.5M | 41.2% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Big W | 5M | 27.5% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Myer | 1.8M | 10.1% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Target Australia | 1.8M | 9.9% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | David Jones | 1.5M | 8.3% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Harris Scarfe | 550K | 3% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Kmart | 6.1M | 46.6% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Big W | 3.4M | 25.5% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 11.2% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Myer | 1M | 7.6% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 6.3% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 2.8% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Kmart | 5M | 46.8% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 25.6% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Target Australia | 1.2M | 11.2% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Myer | 823K | 7.7% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | David Jones | 673K | 6.3% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 246K | 2.3% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Kmart | 5M | 43.9% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 24.1% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 13.4% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Myer | 1M | 8.8% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 7.2% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 301K | 2.6% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Kmart | 5M | 43.9% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 24.1% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 13.4% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Myer | 1M | 8.8% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 7.2% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 301K | 2.6% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Kmart | 5M | 42.8% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 23.5% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 13% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Myer | 1.2M | 10.5% | 4 |
| May 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 7.1% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 3.2% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Kmart | 4.1M | 38.2% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 25.6% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 13.7% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Myer | 1.2M | 11.4% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 7.7% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 3.4% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Kmart | 4.1M | 39.7% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 26.6% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Target Australia | 1.4M | 13.8% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Myer | 1M | 9.7% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | David Jones | 673K | 6.5% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 3.6% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Kmart | 4.1M | 39% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 26.1% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Target Australia | 1.5M | 14% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Myer | 1M | 9.5% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 7.8% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 368K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Kmart | 4.1M | 39.6% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Big W | 2.7M | 26.5% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Target Australia | 1.4M | 13.3% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Myer | 1M | 9.7% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | David Jones | 823K | 8% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Harris Scarfe | 301K | 2.9% | 6 |

## What is being compared

- **Big W**: Measured on the search term “big w”.
- **David Jones**: Measured on the search term “david jones”.
- **Harris Scarfe**: Measured on the search term “harris scarfe”.
- **Kmart**: Measured on the search term “kmart”.
- **Myer**: Measured on the search term “myer”.
- **Target Australia**: Measured on the search terms “target” and “target australia”, summed into one figure.

- [Big W](/demand/au/brands/big-w)
- [David Jones](/demand/au/brands/david-jones)
- [Harris Scarfe](/demand/au/brands/harris-scarfe)
- [Kmart](/demand/au/brands/kmart-australia)
- [Myer](/demand/au/brands/myer)
- [Target Australia](/demand/au/brands/target-australia)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among department stores in Australia?

In September 2026, Kmart was the most searched among department stores in Australia, with an estimated 4.1M branded searches, 39.6% of all searches for the six we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Department stores in Australia: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-department-stores

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-department-stores. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.