November 26th, 2013
Photo credit; Karl Baron on Flickr
MYOB’s latest Business Monitor Report has found that businesses with a website are more likely to increase revenue and hire full-time staff in the year ahead. It also found the number of New Zealand firms going online is rising, albeit slowly.
In its survey of about 1,000 New Zealand small and medium enterprises, the accounting software firm found 38% of businesses with a website saw revenue increase in the year to August 2013, compared to only 26% of businesses without a website.
Half of businesses with a website said they expected to see their revenue increase in the year ahead, compared to 37% of those without.
And confidence was even higher among businesses with both a website and social media site with 63% expected revenue growth in the coming year.
MYOB’s James Scollay said businesses with an online presence were also more likely to take on new workers.
While 16% of small and medium enterprises with a website were planning to increase their full-time staff this year, only 6% without one had the same intentions.
However, Scollay also said he is seeing a “digital divide” emerging in the New Zealand economy.
“Businesses with an online presence reach more people and become more engaged with their customers. They also earn more, have more work in the pipeline, and are more likely to be hiring staff,” Scollay said.
The overall proportion of SMEs with a website was still concerning – less than 50% – but Scollay said he was encouraged to see it increasing.
To read more about this story, click here.
Tags: business, Business Monitor Report, James Scollay, MYOB, New Zealand, online, Small and Medium Enterprise, SME
Posted in E-mail & the internet, New Zealand, new zealand business, Online Sales, online shopping, onlines store, social media, tablet | No Comments »
November 21st, 2013
Photo credit - Alan Cleaver on Flickr
The internet continues to make it possible to do things for yourself and purchasing life insurance is one of those things.
And now, New Zealand-owned life insurance company, Fidelity Life, is celebrating a first for the life insurance industry with the launch of InsureYou – an innovative new service delivering a one stop online insurance shop.
Fidelity Life Chief Executive Milton Jennings says that direct-to-consumer online insurance sites have grown substantially in recent years and InsureYou now offers the next evolution in online insurance purchasing for New Zealanders.
“The online/direct insurance market is the fastest growing insurance market globally. Experience shows that many New Zealanders like the security of having professional advice to call on when purchasing insurance – that’s where InsureYou delivers,” says Mr Jennings.
“Compared to other nations, New Zealanders are typically underinsured. People opt out of the online purchasing process because it can be isolated without having the backup of personal advice. It’s at the times of claims during serious illness or major trauma events that people see the value in having a personal adviser. InsureYou delivers on both fronts – online convenience backed up by personal support.
“For clients themselves, InsureYou will change the way they think about insurance – no paper, no signature and no hassle, and the ability to engage an adviser if required.”
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: business, insurance, InsureYou, New Zealand, online
Posted in computer, consumers, E-mail & the internet, Going Digital, New Zealand, new zealand business, Online Sales, online shopping, shopping | No Comments »
November 19th, 2013
Photo credit; Andrew Evans on Flickr
A new a business-to-business sports-picking app that was developed in New Zealand is garnering a lot of attention in marketing circles.
The app, Go Team, features an engagement programme that enables brands to connect with customers, clients, VIPs and staff.
Developed by Auckland-based bkaBoom, Go Team has already been officially adopted by the All Blacks and is the official sports tipping game of New Zealand rugby. Already 10 companies are running competitions in the ITM Cup national provincial championship.
Go Team is designed to accommodate a variety of team sports across various high-profile competitions both nationally and globally.
Brands pick a competition, invite a range of audiences to participate — clients, friends, staff, endorsers and the like — add prizes and kick off. Players compete to predict results, make their way up the leader board and collect prizes along the way, simultaneously being exposed to brand messages.
predicts apps such as Go Team are the future of staff and customer engagement.
“The tradition of the rugby sweep goes back generations and supports the premise that sports picking is the most fun way to engage with the people. Go Team is where the sweep and digital meet,” says bkaBoom CEO Barb Anderson.
The Go Team app is available on iPhone, Android, iPad and Windows and Mac.
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: All Blacks, app, bkaBoom, Go Team, New Zealand Rugby, sports
Posted in app, E-mail & the internet, New Zealand, new zealand business, online marketing, smartphone, smartphones, social networking, Success story, tablet, tablets | No Comments »
November 14th, 2013
Photo credit; David Pacey on Flickr
With Kickstarter set to launch in New Zealand this month, crowdfunding has taken off in the island nation. But a law change next year will allow for the start of a new type of crowdfunding, and New Zealand’s Snowball Effect aims to take advantage.
Unlike crowdfunding platforms like the aforementioned Kickstarter and New Zealand’s PledgeMe, which merely allow people to make a contribution to a project, Snowball Effect will actually allow contributors to gain a stake in a business they contribute to, much like owning stock.
Snowball Effect is set to launch in April of 2014, the same time the law change will come into effect. The law will make it legal to offer equity for capital through crowdfunding.
When the system is live, a company would be able to approach Snowball Effect and raise capital through the platform from members of the public, who in return take a stake in the business.
Led by directors Richard Allen and Simeon Burnett, Snowball Effect is touted as a system would reduce the cost and complexity of raising capital and would let New Zealanders easily invest in small businesses.
“What this is about is opening up and liberating and democratising the whole investment process,” Burnett says.
“One thing which has really come through strongly in the work that we’ve done is Kiwis love the idea of being able to back New Zealand businesses. They’re hugely passionate about that. So this is opening up an opportunity for New Zealanders to absolutely get in there and support businesses they like the look of.”
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: business, crowd sourcing, crowdfunding, Kickstarter, New Zealand, online, Snowball Effect
Posted in E-mail & the internet, New Zealand, new zealand business, New Zealand government, social networking, Success story | 1 Comment »
November 12th, 2013
Photo credit; Karen on Flickr
New Zealand’s female SME operators are outperforming men in several key areas, a national survey has revealed.
The latest MYOB Business Monitor Report shows that almost a third (30%) of SMEs operated by women increased their revenue in the 12 months to August 2013, while 44% maintained revenue levels. This compares to 30% and 42% of male SME operators.
Less than a quarter (23%) saw revenue fall in the year to August 2013, a slight advantage over their male counterparts, 25% of whom saw a drop in revenue. Three percent of each gender weren’t sure of their revenue results.
“The financial performance results our research uncovered are an extremely positive signal to women, especially those thinking of starting up a new business and those with growth aspirations,” says MYOB NZ national manager Enterprise Division, Allison Fairkettle.
“What it clearly highlights is the strength of businesses that have a woman at the helm. Female business owners are playing a major role in the success of the local and national economy, as they build their influence and extend their take-up of enabling technologies.”
To read more about this story, click here.
Tags: business, businesswomen, New Zealand, trend, women
Posted in New Zealand, new zealand business | No Comments »
November 7th, 2013
Photo credit; Jennifer Morrow on Flickr
Outdoor clothing and equipment retailer Kathmandu has launched a new mobile website, which it says will be more convenient for customers browsing its online store on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.
“The mobile site makes navigating and searching for information far more convenient, with less tapping, clicking and scrolling when using mobile devices,” Kathmandu said.
And the company says it’s in the process of developing additional online initiatives such as international shipping, mobile apps and services such as “click and collect”, where customers can buy a product online, then pick it up from a store.
The retailer said last month that online sales had grown by 55% in the year to July 31 and contributed 4% of total revenue.
That would equate to around $15.4 million of Kathmandu’s $384 million total sales figure in its last financial year.
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: business, Kathmandu, mobile, New Zealand, online
Posted in computer, E-mail & the internet, Going Digital, New Zealand, new zealand business, online shopping, onlines store, smartphone, smartphones, tablet, tablets | No Comments »
November 6th, 2013
Photo credit; Butch Lebo on Flickr
New Zealand expat Rebekah Campbell, who started Posse.com, which she says is the world’s first social search engine, started selling flowers and golf balls by the side of the road when she was a child just because she likes the idea of starting a business.
The former Wellington native evolved to managing bands and originally established Posse.com as a way for bands to engage their fans to help promote them and sell concert tickets.
But after selling the fan engagement platform, Campbell rebranded Posse.com as a social search engine that helps people find the favourite places of their social network. The mobile app and site launched in March of this year and has signed more than 35,000 merchants worldwide, including 7000 New Zealand stores.
Users tell Posse what they want, such as “great coffee”, “brunch” or “a gym” anywhere in the world and they will get recommendations from their “posse” of friends and local experts.
It covers most world cities, including Auckland and Wellington. The denser the population the better.
A two-tier subscription model lets businesses send customers gifts and special offers. From next year, $50 and $100 monthly subscriptions will give stores access to additional features to help them build customer communities.
The successful business has attracted a lot of attention from major tech players.
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: New Zealand, Posse, social network
Posted in consumers, E-mail & the internet, Facebook, New Zealand, new zealand business, online marketing, Online Sales, online shopping, onlines store, social media, social networking, Success story | No Comments »
November 6th, 2013
Photo credit; Nick Kean on Flickr
The Kiwiest of domain names is getting ready to take flight in December and it’s the Kiwiest because it is literally .kiwi.
Christchurch-born Tim Johnson, head of Dot Kiwi, first had the idea for the domain name about two-and-a-half years ago.
When .kiwi launches – hopefully in December – it will be the first top level domain outside of .co.nz to get approval from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers with a truly Kiwi feel.
“Running a new domain name is a really big responsibility, we had to meet a lot of criteria,” Johnson says.
For about $39 businesses and individuals will be able to claim email addresses and websites with .kiwi instead of .co.nz.
A percentage of Dot Kiwi’s revenue from the sale of .kiwi domains will be donated to the Dot Kiwi Christchurch Trust.
Johnson, a marketing executive, said Dot Kiwi was born from a desire to set up a company that would have the longevity to pump funds into the local community.
To read more on this story, click here.
Tags: .Kiwi, business, Dot Kiwi, New Zealand, online, Tim Johnson
Posted in computer, E-mail & the internet, email, emails, New Zealand, new zealand business, New Zealand government, Online Sales, onlines store, Success story | No Comments »
November 5th, 2013
Photo credit; Eliot Phillips on Flickr
Two New Zealand businesses lost “significant sums of money” after they placed orders with Chinese companies that fell victim to internet hackers, police in New Zealand said recently.
Both companies had good relationships with their Chinese suppliers for many years, paying deposits into international bank accounts for goods which they then  imported into New Zealand.
In both cases, the e-mail accounts of the Chinese suppliers had been hacked, resulting in the Kiwi companies inadvertently rerouting payments to the hackers.
“The New Zealand businesses received an e-mail asking them to transfer their usual deposit into a different bank account. When the businesses replied about why they have been asked to deposit money into an account that differs from the usual one, the companies were confirmed that the directions are correct,” the police said.
“The confirmation e-mail was a fraudulent message that has been sent by hackers who accessed the Chinese e-mail account,” said the police.
The crime had come to light after several weeks when the Chinese suppliers contacted the New Zealand importers to inquire why they had failed to pay their deposits.
To read more about this story, click here.
Tags: China, cybercrime, hacking
Posted in computer, E-mail & the internet, email, emails, fraud, hacking, New Zealand, new zealand business, online scams, online security | No Comments »
November 1st, 2013
Photo credit; Images of Money on Flickr
Xero, a New Zealand-based online accounting software company focused on small business, is opening a Denver-area office as part of a U.S. expansion.
The local office, in the Denver Tech Center, will be Xero’s fourth in the U.S.
The Wellington, New Zealand-based company recently moved its U.S. headquarters to a new space in San Francisco and has offices in Los Angeles and New York, in addition to the United Kingdom and Australia. Xero has 210,000 paying customers in 100 countries.
Tags: accounting, business, New Zealand, online, Xero
Posted in New Zealand, new zealand business, Success story | No Comments »
