New Zealand online shopping trends at 2H 2021
NZ Post online shopping report
For those of you that missed it, NZPost recently released an update on the key ecommerce spending trends in New Zealand for the most recent quarter, with data now available including the 2H of 2021. The numbers need to be viewed in context, as most of Q2 last year the country was in lockdown making online shopping the only option. Adjusted for this, the shift in spend continues to move online, the report highlights the key spend trends and what customers perceive as important in their online shopping experience. You can download the full report here, or find a concise summary below.
On the steady march upwards
The chart below shows the big spike during lockdown last year. When adjusted for this, the underlying trend is growth with spend expected to grow 14% in total this calendar year versus last year. The biggest driver of this is new online shoppers emerging, with the most recent count being 2.13 million during Q2 2021.
Credit and Copywright: NZPost
Buy Now Pay Later shopping trends in NZ
Other key New Zealand online shopping trends in 2021 were the continued growth in Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platforms. With more brands in offering the service, and banks also looking to add the service, consumers have lots of options. In the latest quarter 20% of online spend in New Zealand was going via Buy Now Pay Later. A number that’s getting too large to ignore for most retailers.
Online shopper insights from the NZPost survey
The customer experience areas that online shoppers wanted to see improve the most included the following:
Faster delivery times (38%)
Eco-friendly packaging or less waste (34%)
More delivery options (21%)
All good things to keep in mind given how competitive it’s becoming selling online. Perhaps these trends are a positive for local retailers too, with more than 70% of online spend going to local ecommerce stores.