We deliver Christmas, rurally

We know that we #deliverchristmas to our customers who prefer online shopping (but what our recently released eCommerce Report shows is that our rural customers are bigger spenders than their urban counterparts.

In fact, according to the report: “Rural customers also have the largest basket size of $117 which is 10% higher than the national average, and in 2017 they overtook metro customers as the largest spenders, with an average online spend in excess of $2,500.”

Rural areas also experienced the largest growth with online spend up 15% in 2017, compared to 14% growth in urban areas in 12% in metro.

While we know that our rural contract drivers are often a vital link to the communities they serve it is always insightful to hear how online shopping helps our customers, directly.

Nicole Deans, who lives on the border of Levin and Ohau says that online shopping is a life- saver for her family.

A mum to a two- year-old and a newborn, the closest “shopping hub” in Palmerston North is about 40 minutes away, which with two little ones, is a fair way away.

“Online shopping is far easier with two young children, it’s near impossible to gift shop for another child when you have a toddler with you! I also like being able to compare prices online as we are on a budget. It is also good to have reviews available to make sure you’ve made the right purchasing choice,” Nicole explains, adding that while she does a lot of online shopping over Christmas, she usually hops online during the year.

“I love Christmas shopping! If I can do it online, of course.”

Melissa Mclennan who lives with on a vineyard in the Waihopai Valley, a rural part of Marlborough, says that a shopping trip with her three children, aged 2, 5 and 7 would inevitably “turn to custard”.

“Everyone would be hungry, they would all want something, I wouldn’t get any shopping done,” she explains.

Added to that, Melissa and her husband will be working over Christmas, the busiest time for the vineyard.

“I haven’t had a chance to order the Christmas presents yet. I am thinking a baby doll for our youngest, a bike for the middle one and a keyboard for the eldest. I am sure we are going to be seeing our courier quite a bit between now and Christmas.”

Mike Nesbit, who is one of the rural drivers we profiled in this year’s Integrated Report and delivers Melissa’s parcels agrees that online shopping has seen a change in what he is delivering.

“There is a tremendous amount of parcels; my freight volumes have definitely increased over the past two years. I think that’s because people are becoming more comfortable with online shopping,” he says.