Media release Embargoed until 1 am, 17 May 2012

Online Shopping Bridges the Gender Gap

Auckland, 17 May 2012 - Men are catching up with women in the shopping stakes according to the results of a new nationwide survey into group buying websites.

These sites are now a staple part of the retail landscape and popular with both men and women, says Derek Bonnar, Canstar New Zealand National Manager.

“While old style retail therapy is perceived as the domain of women, men are embracing online shopping in surprisingly large numbers. Seventy seven percent of female respondents browse online buying offers daily, compared to 68% of men.

“With academic research* linking the different shopping styles of men and women back to traditional prehistoric roles of hunting and gathering, perhaps group buying sites are uniquely suited to men,” says Bonnar.

“They can get in and get out, clicking and buying with a minimum of fuss and browsing.”

The independent Canstar Blue survey shows that browsing group buying websites is a daily occurrence for many New Zealanders, with 75% of those surveyed visiting online buying sites every day.

Survey respondents rated group buying sites across six categories:

1. After sales 2. Relevance 3. Ability to use 4. Quality 5. Value for money 6. Overall Satisfaction

GrabOne came out tops, rating five stars in all categories, including overall satisfaction.

With the amount spent in online shopping expected to triple in the next 10 years, group buying sites are here to stay, says Bonnar.

“It’s easy to make a purchase with just a click of a mouse. Unfortunately some of our respondents have regretted purchasing from online group buying sites (35%), have been disappointed with their purchases (31%), have been caught out by not reading the terms and conditions in full (22%) or had difficulties redeeming an offer (21%).

“Vendors need to make sure they deliver a great customer experience and there isn’t a gap between the marketing and fulfilment of an order. The Commerce Commission has confirmed it is investigating complaints about daily deal sites, and that’s probably a good thing for consumers.

“For consumers the same rules apply whether you are buying from a real or virtual store. The old saying of ‘buyer beware’ applies no matter where you shop. Group buying sites are incredibly popular and wouldn’t attract customers if the product or service consistently failed to live up to expectations.

“GrabOne appears to have got its model right, with the right offers, the right pricing and the all-important quality and after sales service,” says Bonnar.

A potential windfall for online retailers is unredeemed vouchers, with 36 percent of respondents saying they purchased a coupon and then forgot to redeem the offer, says Bonnar.

“Gift vouchers get lost or forgotten about in the real world too. The best way to benefit from your spend is to make a note in your calendar or diary and redeem vouchers before expiry.”

About the survey

Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton to survey 2,500 New Zealand consumers each month to measure their satisfaction across a range of products and services. The outcomes reported here are the results from a survey of consumers who have visited and purchased from a group discount website in the last 3 months, within the survey group - in this case, 1,084 people.

Canstar Blue is a division of financial research and ratings company, CANSTAR which has been operating in New Zealand for nearly a decade. Canstar Blue provides New Zealanders with the latest customer satisfaction ratings on products and services free of charge via the website www.canstarblue.co.nz.

*To view the full results of the Canstar Blue survey go to: www.canstarblue.co.nz Ends

For more information contact: Brenda Newth, JML Communications 021 655 534 [email protected]

About Canstar Blue: Canstar Blue New Zealand was launched by CANSTAR, New Zealand and Australia’s premier researcher of retail finance information for more than 350 institutions across the finance sector. Canstar Blue will release regular surveys to measure and track New Zealand customer satisfaction to help consumers make the best purchasing decisions for their needs. Canstar Blue also provide customer satisfaction ratings in Australia.

About CANSTAR: Founded in 1992, CANSTAR Pty Limited is Australia and New Zealand's premier researcher of retail finance information for over 350 institutions such as banks, building societies, credit unions, finance companies, brokers, mortgage originators, life companies and finance related portals. CANSTAR customers use the extensive database for competitor analysis as well as a means of disseminating their product range. This information is also distributed to print and electronic media for publication and to agents, accountants, brokers and internet portals for use in advising their clients.

What are the Canstar Blue ratings? Canstar Blue uses market research to determine customer satisfaction ratings across a range of products and services including banking, telecommunications and electronics in Australia and New Zealand. Results are freely available to consumers who are encouraged to use the ratings as a guide to product excellence. The results can be seen at www.canstarblue.co.nz . New ratings are added regularly.

*Professor Daniel Kruger, University of Michigan, as reported in the Telegraph, December 2009