New Research: How Kiwi Shoppers Are Discovering and Buying in 2026

IAB Australia and New Zealand, in partnership with Pureprofile, have released the latest wave of the Commerce & Discovery Report, a nationally representative study of 877 New Zealand online shoppers tracking how consumers discover, research and buy products across an increasingly crowded field of channels. Here's what the data tells us about how Kiwis are shopping.

Cost of living is shaping how Kiwis shop

The shift is happening against a backdrop of sustained cost-of-living pressure. Three in four New Zealand online shoppers have changed their retail choices because of rising costs, and 76% say they have less to spend on non-essentials, rising to 80% among 18–39-year-olds. For value-conscious shoppers, newer discovery channels are functioning as extra layers of research rather than novelty, with 69% saying they rely on online research to feel confident before they buy.

AI is in the toolkit, but Kiwis are keeping it in check

55% of New Zealand online shoppers use AI-powered tools at least sometimes when shopping, rising to 61% among 18–39-year-olds. Rather than taking AI at face value, shoppers are using it as a starting point, 76% say they use AI summaries for a quick answer and then click through to a website for more detail, and 72% treat it as one of several sources rather than the only one. A similar pattern shows up in live chat - 34% of shoppers have used live chat or a virtual assistant in an online retail store, with Kiwis leaning on it most at the comparison stage, using it to confirm a decision rather than replace their own judgement.

Social and creators are driving discovery

Social media is now a core discovery channel, used by 67% of New Zealand online shoppers, climbing to 84% among 18–39-year-olds. Content creators and influencers are a major driver: 49% of shoppers discover brands through creators via social video and podcasts, rising to 76% among 18–29-year-olds.

What makes a creator recommendation land is authenticity over reach. 88% of shoppers say the reputation of the brand being promoted matters when deciding whether to act on a creator's recommendation, and an authentic, trustworthy creator matters more than production value or entertainment value.

Kiwi shoppers are willing to do the work to ensure their dollar goes as far as it can. They'll scroll and stream through creator recs, and ask ChatGPT for a short list, but the shopping journey doesn't end there just yet. They're complementing research by searching online reviews and retail websites. The retailers winning are the ones ensuring their brand and product catalog show up consistently across every inspiration and discovery surface: online, in-store, social, video, AI. That consistency starts with writing and structuring descriptions and information that answers shopper questions in a way both humans and AI can understand - IAB New Zealand Commerce Media Working Group Lead  and founder of commerce consultancy Signal & LIght, Tina Trenkner-Meade

Shoppable formats are the next frontier

Seven in ten New Zealand online shoppers find appeal in discovering and buying a product without leaving the app or website they're on. Shoppable TV is generating early interest among younger audiences: 40% of 18–39-year-olds would be interested in buying directly from a TV ad using saved payment details, and 44% would scan an on-screen QR code to complete a purchase on their phone.

Other key findings

93% of New Zealand online shoppers still use a search engine or online store to discover or research a purchase, and 90% say their use of regular search results has stayed the same or increased, even as AI summaries become more common. Retailer websites remain the single most-used retail media touchpoint, and 56% of Kiwi shoppers prefer to buy New Zealand-owned brands, a preference held consistently across all age groups.

IAB Australia and New Zealand, in partnership with Pureprofile, has released the latest wave of the Commerce & Discovery Report, a nationally representative study of 877 New Zealand online shoppers tracking how consumers discover, research and buy products across an increasingly crowded field of channels.