It seems almost impossible now that anyone got anything done in the centuries before the internet was invented, such is the impact it has had on life as we know it. Digitising the world has allowed individuals and businesses to interact with one another in new ways, changing the face of everything from borrowing library books to the international financial markets.
Some countries embraced the age of the Internet quicker than others, and in the late 1980s, early networks in America and Australia offered limited services to early adopters. As the new technology was embraced and proliferated throughout the world, New Zealand was at the forefront of its adoption.
This remains the case to this day, with ninety-four per cent of New Zealanders over the age of sixteen using the internet regularly which is among the highest in the world. This is reflected in everything from the popularity of limitless broadband contracts to the standard download speeds between twenty-four and fifty Mbps.
As one of the most isolated territories in the world, it is common for New Zealanders to rely on imports and online purchases of items that are not readily available locally. Social media and online communications are also widely used to maintain connections with the rest of the world and mitigate the physical distance between the islands and their nearest neighbours.
The most successful online industries in New Zealand
As with many countries, most businesses have gone online in New Zealand, some more successfully than others. Those that are thriving include:
E-commerce
E-commerce has enjoyed boom after boom in recent years, with a range of circumstances combining to create the perfect environment for thriving online businesses. As with the rest of the world, the ease and convenience of online shopping have proved hugely appealing to New Zealand’s shoppers, and the swift growth of online retail has been phenomenal.
The e-commerce market in New Zealand has been valued at more than £5 billion, with leading stores including Countdown, the grocery store owned by Woolworths, Apple, and the Australian Pharmacy Chemist Warehouse. Food and Personal Care had been the most profitable sector for several years running until 2022 when it was overtaken by Fashion.
Gaming
As one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide, most countries are seeing an uptick in the size of their gaming markets. However, in the case of New Zealand’s gaming industry, this isn’t just a coincidence.
The New Zealand government is backing the country’s gaming industry to the hilt, having recently revealed that they will be offering a twenty per cent tax rebate for game development studios. Ginny Anderson, the minister for digital economy and communications, has confirmed that this will be available to eligible studios up to the value of just under £1.5 million.
The goal is to attract new gaming studios, retain those that are already operating in New Zealand, and encourage new studios to consider New Zealand as a welcoming base for their operations. This is a welcome move, especially for existing games studios that had struggled to retain their talent in the face of more favourable perks in Australia.
The thirty per cent tax break offered by the Australian government meant that their studios could afford to pay more, leaving New Zealand struggling with an ever-decreasing talent pool. The newly announced tax breaks will help ensure that the industry can continue to produce innovative and entertaining games to compete with the rest of the world. The standard of online casino games has risen dramatically in recent years and with the fastest payout online casinos in New Zealand having money available to players within a few hours, the industry is attracting new players each day.
Sports Administration
There are some industries that we brush shoulders with all the time, and others that most people don’t really think about from one day to the next. Of course, the organisation of the events and the staging of the competitions has to happen somewhere along the line, so anyone who has ever watched or competed in a sporting fixture has a team of sports administrators to thank.
From booking venues organising facilities and ensuring that all the competitors’ needs have been considered, the role of a sports administrator is vital to all kinds of events. With more and more interest in sports from spectators all over the world, the sports administration industry is set to be one of the fastest growing in the next few years, with jobs in a variety of sectors, from delivering public sporting initiatives to participating in political discourse.
As one of the forerunners in the internet stakes, it’s no surprise that New Zealand has such a thriving online presence, and the availability of online resources has made it easier than ever for businesses to succeed. With government enthusiasm for investing in the online sectors they believe have the most potential, New Zealanders can continue to benefit from a wide range of products and services available at the touch of a button.
