Kiwis dream of digital mining, snowmen & smartphones

17 December 2014

Kiwis dream of digital mining, snowmen & smartphones

Christmas 2014 will see Kiwis sharing pictures and stories about their presents online using their new phones and tablets, before heading outside in their Frozen costumes for a BBQ and a bounce on the new trampoline, according to Trade Me’s annual list of top searches.

Trade Me spokesman Jeff Hunkin said onsite searches over the last two weeks were a combination of traditional hot items, but there were some new arrivals. “New Zealanders’ insatiable love for Apple items continues, and old favourites like Lego, trampolines and outdoor furniture make regular appearances on our most searched list at this time of year.

“But we’ve also seen the rise of Frozen merchandise for kids, and the Swedish video game Minecraft is clearly making its mark on wanted lists too. Both these brands have a mind-blowing range of product extensions, so there’s always something new or different to add to the collection. While we won’t see any snowmen being built in backyards, it looks like there’ll be plenty on TVs and playroom floors this Christmas.”

Mr Hunkin said Star Wars toys fell off the hot list after coming in at number six last year, but he predicted they would be back in 2015. “The force is strong and when the new Episode VII film is released next year we expect to see a resurgence of interest from shoppers, aficionados and anxious parents.”

In terms of high-adrenaline options, Mr Hunkin said kayaks and go-karts had squeaked into the top ten over the past fortnight. “Not everyone is going to be kicking back at Christmas – for some it is also a time for outdoor adventure and satisfying that need for speed,” he said.

Apple on top again
Apple’s dominance continued with iPhones and iPads on top for the fourth consecutive year in 2014, underpinned by the relentless release of new generation devices from the brand’s Cupertino headquarters.

“On Trade Me over the past fortnight, the iPhone 5 was the most searched-for Apple product, followed by the iPhone 4s, the new model iPhone 6, and the iPad,” Mr Hunkin said. “Apple devices have consistently floated to the top of our most-searched lists for a while now, and not just at Christmas time.”

Trade Me numbers
Mr Hunkin said Trade Me traditionally experienced a tick-up in activity in the lead-in to Christmas.

• Listings: In the pre-Xmas lead-in this year, the high tide mark for listings was set on 2 December when 529,882 items were listed.

• Selling: The biggest buying/selling day in 2013 was 8 December, with nearly 40,000 members making more than 50,000 purchases that day. That lines up with the traditional high tide mark – a couple of weeks before Christmas but still with enough time up sleeves to ensure the item arrives in time to get it under the Xmas tree. In 2014, we predict that busiest trading day will end up being 7 December.

• Traffic: There was an average of 803,000 visits per day* to Trade Me over the first two weeks of December this year, up 15 per cent on 2013. This includes activity across the Trade Me desktop site, and official apps and mobile websites (i.e. visits via tablets and smartphones). Tablet and mobile devices combined made up 39 per cent of visits, compared to 21 per cent last year.

*Unique browsers. Nielsen Online Trend Report, 1-15 December

THE LIST: Christmas searches on Trade Me: 1-15 December
Top 10: National
1. iPhones and iPads
2. Lego
3. Outdoor furniture
4. Trampolines
5. Dogs, puppies & kittens
6. BBQs
7. Disney’s Frozen toys and clothing (new)
8. Minecraft toys and clothing (new)
9. Kayaks (new)
10. Go-karts (new)

Bubbling under: Harley Davidson accessories, Karen Walker/Nike/Country Road clothing

New in 2014: Frozen, Minecraft, kayaks & go-karts

Gone from 2013: Adidas/Karen Walker clothing, mountain bikes, golf gear, Star Wars paraphernalia

ENDS

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