More than 85% of the world’s Internet users surveyed have purchased something online, according to The Nielsen Company’s Global Online Survey of Internet shopping habits, conducted in October and November 2007. The research company said that more than half of Internet users had made a least one purchase online within the past month.

With an estimated 3.2 million New Zealanders being Internet users, this means that 64% make a purchase online at least once a month – a number that’s high by anyone standards. Research clearly shows that most New Zealanders feel very secure about making a purchase online.

So, what are Internet users buying online? Well, according to Nielsen, the top 5 are:

1. Books (41%)
2. Clothing, accessories and shoes (34%)
3. DVDs, videos and games (24%)
4. Airline tickets (24%)
5. Consumer electronics (23%)

With just over 2 million of New Zealand’s Internet users making a purchase online at least once a month, online shopping is becoming a major player in the retail market.

If you have an e-commerce store, particularly if you’re selling books and clothing then, given current trends, you really need to market your site to take advantage of the boom in online shopping.

NZS.com can help you by providing targeted traffic to your site. For more information, see our online advertising options.

According to an Auckland University of Technology survey – part of an international collaboration on the impact of the Internet on politics, the economy and society – showed New Zealanders tend to prefer the Internet, even over family and friends, as a source of information. The results of the survey showed that:

• About 80 percent of New Zealanders use the Web
• Internet use falls with age
• Internet use is higher for wealthy people and city dwellers
• One in every eight Kiwis have their own website and one in ten are bloggers
• 83 percent of Internet users surf the Web to research products, while 60 per cent buy things online.

Speaking of shopping online, I read in an article that e-commerce revenue in New Zealand is expected to top $1.5 billion this year. Half of that figure, or roughly $750 million, is spent on travel (with Air New Zealand getting a fair chunk of that), while a whopping $500 million goes to Trademe, excluding vehicles and real estate. According to Sam Morgan, Trademe also accounts for a third of the country’s private vehicle sales and $250 million is spent on retail shopping.

Compared to overseas markets New Zealand, and to some extent Australia, are lagging behind. Sales in the US are expected to exceed $200 billion in 2007, while European sales are tipped to exceed $160 billion and grow by 25 percent per annum for the next five years.

Which brings me to one of two conclusions: either society are getting lazy or we hate shopping malls!

Are you over all the people and over all the queues? Well, I know I am. So, why not turn yourself to the world of online shopping?

There are some other benefits of shopping online too:

• Because you’re at your computer, you have the ability to research a product using the Internet, giving you a good overview of your gift choice, rather than a sometimes one-sided salesperson’s view.

• As well as being able to read reviews online, you’ll also be able to find the lowest price on any given product, using handy price comparison sites like PriceSpy. This is especially useful when shopping for electronics – computers, digital cameras, MP3 players and mobile phones.

• Online stores sell a vast array of gifts and products, all available to buy from the comfort of your own home!

• Being on the Web, online shops are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can fit your Xmas shopping around your busy end-of-year family, work and social schedule.

Get started on your gift shopping right now, by visiting our New Zealand online stores category and taking a look at our Christmas gift guide.