Kiwis Flock to the Internet for Christmas Gifts

News Release

Kiwis Flock to the Internet for Christmas Gift Purchases
- Books, clothing, toys, beauty products, gift vouchers and CDs/records/tapes tipped to be amongst online’s best sellers list in 2009

Auckland, 15 December 2009 — As the Christmas retail season gets into full-swing, retailers vying for a share of New Zealand consumers’ wallets are ramping up their online advertising activities, with a 31 percent increase in the number of advertisers on the internet and a 26 percent increase in the number of campaigns in the two months from September to November 2009, according to leading research company Nielsen.

The Nielsen data indicates that consumer buzz relating to shopping for Christmas gifts is also increasing as we approach the peak Christmas shopping days, with online discussion relating to Christmas shopping seeing a four-fold increase in November (see chart 1). A recent US report from Nielsen* shows that shoppers actively rely on social media sites to learn about where to find the best deals, product recommendations, gift ideas and money saving tips. The report highlights an opportunity for retailers to go beyond traditional TV and printed circulars and use social media outlets to get shoppers excited about their holiday deals. Shoppers enjoy being the first to find out about a deal and share it with their network.

“Christmas isn’t called the silly season for nothing,” says Tony Boyte, Research Director for Nielsen’s online division. “Shopping centres and malls are extremely hectic and crowded at this time of year and for many consumers, online retail channels offer an increasingly appealing opportunity to shop from the comfort of their own homes rather than battle the crowds.”

According to Nielsen, there are now nearly 1.5 million New Zealanders shopping online, and the company tips record numbers will opt for online sales this Christmas.
Based on findings in the Nielsen Online Retail Report 2008, products expected to be the best online sellers for Christmas in 2009 include books, clothing, toys, beauty products, gift vouchers and CDs/records/tapes (see chart 1).

Chart 1: Percentage of online Christmas shoppers purchasing product type

Click for big version

Source: Nielsen Online Retail Report 2008
* 2009 Online Holiday Sales Outlook: What Consumers Have in Store for Retailers

ENDS

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