Online Sales Volume Up 50% During Lockdown

New Zealand's latest nationwide lockdown has benefited many online merchants of both essential and non essential goods, including reusable face masks, fresh foods and self-care products, with a 50% increase of total online sales volume via the Website World eCommerce platform during the last two weeks of August 2021.

Online Sales Boom During Lockdown

Faced with another nationwide Level 4 lockdown in response to community spread of Covid-19, most bricks and mortar stores were forced to close. Businesses with an eCommerce store were still able to sell online, but shipping restrictions have seen all but essential products unable to be shipped.

Merchants who already sell essential goods, or those who were able to adapt their offerings to include some have seen significant rises in sales volumes, with products shipped nationwide. Other merchants used the opportunity to have more visits to their websites, and have promoted sales and/or items to be purchased during lockdown and delivered once alert levels permit. Also, some of our merchants have noticed a rise in the sales volume of self-care and beauty products. Other of our merchants who sell digital products like recipes and patterns, have continued to have steady income from these.

Based in Napier, Takitimu Seafoods sell both fresh and frozen seafood to customers online throughout the country. During the August lockdown, online sales were up over 300% compared with their regular sales volume. 

Kruizey Kids, who specialise in NZ made merino and waterproof children's clothing,  have introduced reusable face masks to their product ranges. Owner Denyse said, "Orders for both child and adult face masks are through the roof. Compared with the last lockdown, customers are purchasing face masks in much larger quantities."

Seafood Bazaar saw around an 800% increase in online sales, with the most popular products being their fresh snapper, kina, oysters and seafood hampers, says Jonathan Pratt.

Owner Annie of Covenwick Apothecary (specialising in handmade bath and beauty products, candles, wax melts, salves, serums and elixirs) said, "We definitely had massive increase in our Plague Doctor Sanitiser!    I also think that during lock down people like to de-stress and try and bring a little calm and caring into their lives where they can and I definitely saw a huge amount of purchases in self care items like bubble bath and body scrubs!"

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