General Overview

The e-commerce market in New Zealand is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%, reaching $10.8b (NZ$17.6b) by 2028, according to GlobalData.  This growth is driven by a significant shift from offline to online shopping.  In 2023, the country’s e-commerce market grew by 12.3% to $7.5b (NZ$12.1b).   Industries with the largest proportion of online retail sales in 2023 included supermarket sales, travel and accommodation, recreation, furniture and homeware, clothing and footwear and books and stationery. Online purchases are made by young and old, male and female.  New Zealand is the 48th largest market globally for e-commerce sales.  The New Zealand e-commerce market is expected to increase to US$10,121.8 million by 2027.

International e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Ebay, Alibaba and Temu are popular in New Zealand. New Zealand Post’s YouShop service offers delivery addresses in the United States to facilitate online trade between vendors and New Zealand consumers.  Within New Zealand, most bricks and mortar retailers offer an online presence.

Legal & Regulatory

Non-resident U.S. companies selling online to New Zealand consumers must comply with local regulations including consumer and tax procedures. A U.S. company providing online services to New Zealand residents will need to register for GST when their total supplies of goods and services exceeds NZ$60,000 (US$36,324) in one year. This policy is managed by New Zealand’s  Inland Revenue Department.

Consumer Behavior

According to eCommerceDB, approximately 64% of online shoppers in New Zealand conduct online research when planning a major purchase.  This is especially true when preparing to purchase consumer electronics and household appliances. Paying by credit card is the preferred payment method.

Digital Events:

Name:  DigiMarCon New Zealand
Dates: August 7-8, 2025
Location: Hilton Hotel, Auckland