Kiwis switch from online for last minute Christmas shopping

Kiwis switch from online for last minute Christmas shopping

Auckland, New Zealand – December 15, 2016 – Local retailers are benefiting from last minute Christmas shoppers as Kiwis leave their shopping late, according to new Mastercard research.

Mastercard New Zealand’s annual research on Christmas shopping trends has revealed that for the third year in a row the majority (66%) of Kiwis plan to do most of their Christmas shopping through local retailers in store.

While most plan to shop at local retailers, each year more Kiwis are taking advantage of online shopping with one in five respondents planning to increase their use of online retailers to purchase Christmas gifts this year. Mastercard found two thirds of New Zealanders make regular online purchases, shopping online at least once a month.
“Online shopping is increasing in popularity for general purchases, personal shopping, and for those who plan in advance, but for last-minute Christmas presents nothing beats the convenience of local stores to pick up presents. For those who haven’t sorted all of their gifts in early December, they tend to head in-store in the final few days before Christmas,” says Peter Chisnall, Country Manager for Mastercard New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

Quality of goods, finding the best price, and convenience are the top three influencing factors on where Christmas gifts are purchased.

Getting the lowest price is consistently the top reason across all products to buy online, while convenience is the most common reason to shop in-store.

“With convenience a key contributing factor in the Christmas rush, Kiwis can make in-store shopping even faster by taking advantage of contactless payments. And, even if your spend is over $80, consumers can ‘Tap and Pin’ to speed up the process,” says Chisnall.

Books, movies and TV or music in any format are the most popular items to purchase online, and most (49%) said it depends what they are buying when it comes to choosing between local or international sites, with 34% saying they prefer to use local online sites to make purchases.

Top five gifts purchased in-store
1. Food, wine and spirits (86%)
2. Homewares (82%)
3. Sports and outdoor equipment (71%)
4. Clothing & accessories (70%)
5. Technology and electronics (67%)

Top five gifts purchased on New Zealand-based online sites
1. Vouchers for goods and services (44%)
2. Books, TV/movies or music (in any format) (33%)
3. Toys and games (27%)
4. Technology and electronics (20%)
5. Make up and fragrances (20%)

Top five gifts purchased on overseas online sites
1. Books, TV/movies or music (in any format) (20%)
2. Make up and fragrances (16%)
3. Clothing and accessories (13%)
4. Technology and electronics (11%)
5. Sports and outdoor equipment (10%)

ENDS

About the research
This monthly Perceptive Omnibus surveyed 1000 New Zealanders online using a nationwide sampling framework. The results are then weighted to Statistics New Zealand census gender, age and location data.

The survey and its accompanying reports do not represent Mastercard’s financial performance.

About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA) is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter@MastercardNZ, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

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