Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Chooice
In the lead up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Chooice the online marketplace that began in lockdown, is seeing Kiwi Christmas shoppers flocking to support small and micro businesses, with sales on their platform reaching nearly $100,000 per week.
The Facebook group formerly known as New Zealand Made Products rapidly grew to be New Zealand’s largest Facebook group, with over 540,000 members, and its associated online platform which started in August has processed $800,000 in transactions and is on track to have put $1m back in Kiwi business owners pockets this December.
24-year-old Chooice co-founder and former Elected Member Sarah Colcord said, “With cargo ships carrying Christmas products being delayed at the ports and cases of COVID-19 popping up, it seems like Kiwis are turning to Chooice as a supportive and safe option to get their Christmas shopping done.
“That support has meant the world to family businesses we have helped since we launched earlier this year and it will be especially important this Christmas.”
Co-founder Pat Macfie said, “These metrics will be a small blow to big retail chains who usually take the biggest cut at Christmas. But it’s a big win for the little guys, the hustlers and the Kiwi survivors.”
Since Chooice.co.nz launched in August, more than 3,500 Kiwi businesses have set up shop on the platform and over 14,000 orders have been placed generating $700,000 in revenue for shop owners. Over 400,000 viewers have shopped and enjoyed home shopping livestreams from Sarah and co-founder Monty Betham.
“With over 25,000 products to choose from, Chooice has a range of cool, quirky and creative gifts for friends and family. There is something for everyone and that is striking a chord with Kiwis,” says Ms Colcord.
With the traditional big sale days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up, Ms Colcord says micro businesses are competing with big advertising budgets from major stores who have already been advertising their sale days for weeks. According to the NZ Post Report, in 2019 Kiwi shoppers spent a record $11.6 billion in the lead up to Christmas, with the Black Friday Spend alone being $100 million more than Boxing Day.
“What we are seeing, despite the big retail ad spend, is that the drive to shop local and online is strong this Christmas.”
“Seeing the talented makers and the many peculiar and wonderful products come through on the Facebook group has taught me how creative we are as a nation. And then to see them continue to sell out on the Chooice platform shows how passionately supportive we are of one another as Kiwis.
