Google recently published data on the online behaviours of the New Zealand consumer as of mid-2015

By Greg Randall

First Published by EConsultancy on 6 March, 2016

Though none of Google’s findings is breaking news, what’s important for NZ retailers is not the data itself, but how to respond to it.  

This article reviews the four key insights and provides guidance on how retailers could (and should) respond to build greater customer experiences. 

There’s no doubt about it, Click & Collect is huge!

As the name suggests (and everyone knows!), allows customers to order online and pick their goods up in store, at a time and location of their convenience.  

In Australasia, Click & Click is growing, for example Harvey Norman claim Click & Collect is over 50% of online, when The Warehouse launched Click & Collect 2 years ago, it went to 10% in the first week, and is now over 30% of online sales.

Opinion Piece by Andrew Buxton, CEO eStar

Major expansion in retail means acquiring new customers. In simple terms that is done either through the expansion of products, services, or brands offered, or by expanding into new markets. Traditional market expansion has been through adding more physical retail stores.

Traditional store growth for retail chains in New Zealand, with our small population of 4.5 million, usually reaches saturation at about 50-70 stores for most brands. For successful retail brands the next step is to look overseas. While there are many retail examples of international store expansion, such as Pumpkin Patch, Kathmandu or Rodd & Gunn, many have struggled to make such international expansion a financial success. Expansion through physical stores has a large commitment – store leases, fit-out costs, people costs, stock holding and distribution costs in market, not to mention market entry and store promotion. It’s a big commitment with high risks.

     

Andrew Buxton - eStar Chief Executive (above) speaks to NBR about why brand is becoming more important online.