E-commerce has been increasingly popular for years, but global events since 2020 have markedly accelerated the trend, with more New Zealanders than ever now opting to buy online.
New Zealanders spent $7.6 billion online in 2021, according to NZ Post’s annual e-commerce report, a 52% increase from 2019. The average Kiwi spent more than $3500 online last year, and more than half (58%) of retail businesses in New Zealand are now selling online, according to a Better for Business report.
Anthony Watson, country manager for New Zealand and the South Pacific at Visa, says: “A lot of the foundations and enablers for e-commerce were already in place before the pandemic, but things have accelerated dramatically since then.
“Consumers weren’t left with many alternatives during lockdown, so we began to see much more digital engagement with commerce activities,” he says. “The shift was significant, but with enormous growth comes vulnerabilities. Some people and businesses are new to e-commerce, and certain parts of the infrastructure need to be regularly updated and refreshed to suit the current environment with an ‘always on’ approach to cybersecurity.”
UNSPLASH
New Zealanders spent $7.6 billion online in 2021.
Modern cyber threats
As more people go online to buy items, cybercriminals are working on new ways to steal and launch attacks. In our digital-first world, attacks are becoming more sophisticated, requiring new and improved defences for businesses and customers.
Enumeration…
