Online spending eases in June
In this article (5)
The growth rate for New Zealanders’ total online retail shopping eased back slightly in June, but spending was still up 10 per cent compared to June last year.
According to the latest BNZ and Marketview monthly report on New Zealand’s online retail sales, purchases from offshore online retailers accounted for 44.5 per cent of the month’s online spending, and spending at these retailers was up 13 per cent on June 2016.
A surge in spending on Computers and Electronics drove half of the increase.
Clothing had a quieter month than usual, with purchases from offshore online retailers only up per cent on June last year.
Spending at local online retailers was up 9 per cent on June last year.
“While slower than the double-digit growth rates we’ve generally been seeing since 2016, this level of growth is still more than double that of local bricks-and-mortar stores, which were only up 4 per cent on June last year,” said Gary Baker, director, institutional research, Bank of New Zealand.
Food store-types drove approximately half of the growth at local online sites (June 2017 vs June 2016).
Clothing purchases were also strong at local online merchants, up 16 per cent on last June.
Questions & Answers
Q.How did online retail spending in June compare to the previous year?
How did online retail spending in June compare to the previous year?
Total online retail shopping by New Zealanders was up 10 per cent in June compared to June last year. This growth rate is slower than general trends since 2016, but still significant.
Q.Which online retail categories saw the most significant growth or decline in June?
Which online retail categories saw the most significant growth or decline in June?
A surge in spending on Computers and Electronics drove half of the total increase. Clothing had a quieter month than usual, particularly from offshore retailers, though it was strong at local online merchants.
Q.How did spending at local online retailers compare to offshore online retailers in June?
How did spending at local online retailers compare to offshore online retailers in June?
Purchases from offshore online retailers accounted for 44.5 per cent of the month's spending and were up 13 per cent. Spending at local online retailers was up 9 per cent on June last year.
Q.What was the growth rate for traditional bricks-and-mortar stores in June?
What was the growth rate for traditional bricks-and-mortar stores in June?
Bricks-and-mortar stores experienced a 4 per cent increase in sales in June compared to June last year. This growth rate is less than half of the total online retail growth.
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