Local online retailers seeing traffic this Christmas

Local online retailers seeing traffic this Christmas

Auckland, New Zealand – December 14, 2017 – Last minute Christmas shoppers are increasingly heading online to avoid the last-minute dash in store, with Kiwis planning to shop more at local online retailers as Christmas approaches.

Annual Mastercard research of more than a thousand New Zealanders has revealed that while most individuals (55%) are still pounding the pavements to purchase gifts and seasonal supplies, online shopping is continuing to grow in popularity, with more people using both local (22% up from 14%) and international (10% up from 9%) online retailers.

More packages will be landing on the doorsteps of Kiwi men than women, with 35% of men likely to do their shopping online compared to 29% of women.

During the rest of the year, almost two-thirds (59%) of New Zealanders are now making purchases online at least once a month.

“Online shopping is trusted by Kiwis throughout the year for making all sorts of purchases, and Christmas is no exception. The increasing use of online shopping in the run-up to Christmas reflects Kiwis comfort levels with completing transactions online throughout the year. The fact that local online retailers can ship things quickly means Kiwis are increasingly taking advantage of the wide range of online stores,” says Peter Chisnall, Country Manager for Mastercard New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

“International online retailers can provide a depth and breadth of gift options, but when it comes to being able to grab last-minute Christmas presents, nothing beats the convenience of local retailers, whether they are in-store or online. For those heading to the shops this December, the increasing acceptance of contactless payments should mean speedier transactions and reduced queues.”

Quality wins over price

The Mastercard survey showed Kiwis are savvy shoppers when it comes to finding the best deal – with two thirds saying they research their purchases online (65%), and then either purchase online (40%) or in-store (25%) depending on where the best deals are.

The most important factor when choosing where to purchase Christmas gifts is quality (86%), followed by price (83%). These two factors are followed by convenience (77%) and recourse with the retailer if things go wrong (75%).

Books, movies and music (in any format) are the most popular type of gift to purchase online (45% –local or overseas online retailer), with the most significant reason for using an international retailer being lowest price (72%). This is followed by toys and games (31% purchasing online), and clothing (27% purchasing online), with price also being the key factor.

“For those who are shopping online – we remind Kiwis that they should always plan ahead by making a list and checking it twice before making a purchase. Knowing what you want to buy and then doing your research about where to buy it from depending on your purchase drivers, will help decrease buyer remorse this Christmas. When it comes to protecting yourself online this Christmas, make sure you look out for website security, delivery timeframes, return policies and protection cover before handing over payment details. Customers can also feel confident that when paying with Mastercard they have Zero Liability protection[1], if they are unlucky enough to spot any unauthorised transactions – whether they are in-store, online, over-the-phone or via a mobile device,” adds Chisnall.

ENDS

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