Planning to Sell Online?
WooCommerce is an eCommerce platform that’s been growing in popularity for New Zealand business owners. It has gained traction because of its ability to offer many features at a low cost, making it a popular choice among entrepreneurs who want to start their own online businesses.
Since the global pandemic, Kiwis have been taking advantage of numerous innovative technologies and platforms, from starting a small side hustle dropshipping company to creating a full-sized enterprise-level online ecommerce store. No matter your business goals, right now is the perfect time to build a store using WooCommerce, especially with all the recent developments from the New Zealand Post.
New Zealand Online Businesses are Growing
The good news is that you live in a country that’s a great place to do business. The better news is that you can sell your products online and reach people worldwide.
About 70% of New Zealand consumers shop through online retailers. This includes demographics from younger males to older women and everything in between. That is a considerable market segment measured in the billions of dollars, and that growth is only expected to expand in the coming years.
With so many new consumers focused on mobile-ready solutions to finding new sneakers or getting the perfect chicken tractor, online businesses have ample opportunities to grow their market share.
Taking Advantage of New Zealand Post Benefits
WooCommerce is the best platform for New Zealanders if you’re interested in selling online. That’s because it provides a range of shipping options that can be used to reduce costs, including integrating with New Zealand Post. Thus, reducing additional cost.
Local online stores with New Zealand products or shipping options outperform international competitors. Not only because studies have shown Kiwis prefer shopping locally, but because these retailers are leveraging the power of New Zealand Post.
NZ Post is the leading method to directly connect with Kiwis by offering bespoke shipping options at a much more reasonable price structure. This is traceable and makes customers feel more appreciated by having a delivery service well-known instead of one of the major international alternatives.
When a Kiwi-run business is created, the two best options are to build the platform using WooCommerce and then integrate shipping through NZ post.
Why WooCommerce is the Best Platform for Kiwis
There are a lot of different ecommerce platforms out there, but none are as popular as WooCommerce. With WooCommerce, you can easily create an online store and manage products. Orders and inventory management is also easy. You can set up features like payment gateways and shipping methods. The benefits of WooCommerce include:
1 – WooCommerce is Cost-Effective
One of the main reasons why WooCommerce is so popular and easy to use is that it’s free. The basic out-of-the-box structure of WooCommerce adapts directly to WordPress as a free plugin. This will allow you to build an online business that can then be adjusted using other various plugins, integrations, and customizations.
2 – Storefront Customization
Your store’s appearance is one of the most essential parts of your business. It can help customers understand what your brand stands for, help them decide to purchase from you, and even increase sales if it’s done correctly. This is incredibly important as a Kiwi-run business because you can directly appeal to local consumers based on your ecommerce design through WooCommerce.
3 – Advanced Features
WooCommerce is packed with over 1,000+ free and premium plugins that can help you save time and money. The number of available plugins is staggering, and it’s important to know which ones are right for you so you can get started on your ecommerce journey as quickly as possible. That includes plugins for New Zealand Post and shipping tracking.
4 – Search Engine Friendly Platform
SEO is a website’s lifeblood because it allows you to be found by your target audience. If you are a Kiwi-run business, you want local SEO that is easily integrated into your storefront. WooCommerce has these features and makes it easy for even an SEO novice to get noticed for their niche market serving local New Zealand consumers.
5 – Simple Setup & Configuration
WooCommerce is one of the strongest platforms for selling online and has been built from the ground up to cater to all your needs. You will be able to easily install, configure and use WooCommerce in no time at all. It also comes with a range of features that can help you optimize your store as well as maintain it. With WooCommerce updates being made on a regular basis, it’s always staying up-to-date with current technology trends.
6 – Makes You Look Professional without Losing Local Charm
WooCommerce is highly customizable and easy to use. Unlike other ecommerce platforms, WooCommerce does not require any coding knowledge. You can set up your own online store with a few clicks using the drag-and-drop interface. However, you can still integrate those photos, videos, features, and unique benefits that appeal to Kiwis the most. That way, you do not lose your local charm.
7 – Marketing Powerhouse
There are several plugins on the official plugin page that can help you market your store more effectively. For example, if you want to add a newsletter signup form so people can subscribe to emails about upcoming sales and promotions, there’s a plugin for that! If you want better search engine optimization (SEO) so Google knows about all of the great products available in your shop—and thus rewards it with higher rankings—there’s another one!
Thanks to their built-in templates, you can also use paid services like Facebook ads or Google AdWords campaigns without any technical knowledge. This is an excellent platform for those that have the desire to learn but do not want to be overwhelmed by complicated processes.
8 – Safety, Stability, & Support
The WooCommerce platform is the safest, most stable, and most supported ecommerce option in New Zealand. There are several reasons why this is the case. It’s built on WordPress—a platform that has been around for years and continues to be one of the most popular CMS solutions on the planet. That means you can rest assured that your platform will be around for years.
It also uses secure payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe, which have been tried and tested by millions of people across countless industries worldwide. You won’t need to worry about your customers’ payment information being compromised, especially when you leverage anti-fraud plugins.
Build Your Online Business with WooCommerce & NZ Post
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce platform that can be used to sell anything online. It’s quickly becoming the most popular platform for New Zealand businesses to sell their products on the web, and it offers more features than other platforms at a lower cost of entry.
When you combine the powerful online store platform with the unique shipping and delivery features of New Zealand Post, you get a storefront that is sure to grow in local popularity.
If you are just starting out and want to experience the best way to integrate New Zealand Post with your WooCommerce store, give the integrated plugin from the team at OPMC a try. This is a powerful plugin built by those who understand the needs and challenges of New Zealand businesses and want to help automate and streamline processes. One simple plugin could be your ticket to a lucrative and successful online store.
