Shopify merchants in New Zealand up 57 per cent during 2020

Online shopping from home

Shopify’s merchants in New Zealand ballooned by 56 per cent during 2020, the business said on Thursday. And, accordingly, GMV in these merchants grew 97 per cent during the same period.

The large levels of growth is indicative of a blossoming e-commerce market, accelerated by the pandemic and lockdowns that curbed the usage of physical stores.

“While digital transformation plans for 2030 have been brought forward by a decade due to the economic and social changes accelerated by the pandemic, we’re also seeing a growing community of entrepreneurs, who are looking for more independence and flexibility while generating extra income and exploring their creative passions,” said Shopify’s director for APAC Shaun Broughton.

Customer expectations changed during the year as well, with the amount of retailers in New Zealand now delivering locally doubling during the pandemic due to customer need.

“We saw savvy retailers like JB Hi-Fi, Aje, Peter Sheppard, and Thermomix Australia and New Zealand [spend their] resources on listening to their customers and analysing their needs, and then doubling down on the best channels to engage with customers as their circumstances changed throughout the year,” Broughton said.

In Australia, Shopify merchants exceeded 100,000 during the period, while GMV rose 118 per cent.

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