New Zealand Post launches YouShop in China

New Zealand Post launches YouShop in China

New Zealand Post has added a new ‘branch’ to its YouShop service, with Kiwi consumers and businesses now able to use YouShop to buy online from China.

The overseas parcel-forwarding service provides Kiwis with a delivery address in the United Kingdom, United States and now China so they can shop online and have their purchases shipped back to New Zealand.

New Zealand Post’s Executive General Manager Ecommerce and Customer Solutions Sohail Choudhry said China was an exciting and developing market.

“Our more than 100,000 YouShop customers have been asking for new markets to shop in and China was the next logical step for us.

“And it’s not just consumers. New Zealand Post’s business customers are telling us that the service will be an alternate shipping method to import small quantities of product for resale or samples before buying in bulk.”

The move into China was significant for New Zealand Post, which was also developing – with Alibaba Group’s Tmall Marketplace – an online store and end to end supply chain for New Zealand businesses to sell direct to Chinese consumers, Dr Choudhry said.

“Total global business to consumer e-commerce sales in 2013 amounted to NZ$1.6 trillion, and this is expected to grow by 75% by 2020. The fastest growth is in the Asia Pacific, which at 30% growth, is set to overtake Europe as the biggest e-commerce market[1].”

Dr Choudhry said testing had revealed that what people were buying from China was not too different to purchases out of the United States and United Kingdom – for example clothing, shoes, homeware and bags.

Restricted items would include food and, as with all YouShop parcels, items will be inspected for authenticity and go through normal border controls.

Dr Choudhry said YouShop had grown strongly and sustainably since its launch in the US in 2012.

“Two things driving growth, after price, are choice and convenience,” Dr Choudhry said.

New Zealand Post is increasing its focus on parcels and e-commerce. In 2014, revenue from parcels exceeded revenue from letters for the first time in New Zealand Post’s history.

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