Today, as part of our 2015 round-up on the state of international ecommerce, we take a look at the southern hemisphere, focusing on online shopping in New Zealand.
With its stable economic growth, nearly 2 million online shoppers, and more than 90% internet penetration, New Zealand represents an attractive destination for ecommerce players!
Since shoppers located in the southern hemisphere experience the opposing seasons to those in the northern part of the globe, the online market of New Zealand represents an appealing sales opportunity, which enables retailers to clear out any leftover or excessive stock from last season’s collections.
New Zealand is a market that traditionally has high retail prices, so it’s no surprise that local shoppers are accustomed to buying from international sellers.
With more than 45% of all online retail purchases in the country currently originating from international sellers, cross-border trade will be one of the main trends to define the New Zealand ecommerce landscape in 2016.
The limited assortment of brands and ranges are available locally, is another driving force behind increased cross-border trade in New Zealand.
At the end of 2015, online categories in New Zealand that experience significant supply gaps were men’s accessories, sportswear, women’s clothing and shoes. Merchants operating in these segments have a high potential for success when expanding into the region.
As with the rest of the world, mobile is another key trend that will dominate the ecommerce market in New Zealand.
With 90% mobile penetration rate expected by 2018, and New Zealanders becoming increasingly open to purchasing via mobile devices, especially smartphones, applying a mobile-friendly sales approach is a must for retailers that want to capitalise on the growing ecommerce opportunity in the country.
As shoppers in New Zealand become better connected and more informed, increasingly looking for brand and product variety that local online retailers can’t offer, ecommerce in the region is set to further grow in 2016.
In the New Year, 85% of e-shoppers in New Zealand intend to maintain or increase their expenditure, while online market is expected to be worth as much as $5.37bn.
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