In October, GST will kick in for online purchases. According to a study by Canstar Blue, local online retailers are not too worried. Consumer respondents to the survey said that the inclusion of GST would have little effect on their online shopping habits.
Online shopping is more about convenience, according to the study. 70 percent of respondents said that this was the reason they shop online. Jose George, Canstar general manager, said, “That puts New Zealand-based online retailers at a considerable advantage. While overseas sites will continue to be popular due to the huge range they can offer, New Zealand sites can compete strongly on speed and service, which our research shows customers value the most.”
Only 29 percent of consumers said that the new rules would deter them from overseas websites.
