AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 7 July 2026: New IAB Australia and Pureprofile research finds New Zealand shoppers – especially those under 40 – are embracing a widening set of discovery channels, from AI assistants to social media and creator recommendations.
The way New Zealanders discover and research what to buy has expanded well beyond the search bar and the shop window. New research from IAB Australia and Pureprofile shows AI tools, social media, and content creators have all become established parts of the shopping journey – with the biggest uptake among shoppers under 40.
The shift is happening against a backdrop of sustained cost-of-living pressure. 75% of New Zealand online shoppers have changed their retail choices and spending because of rising costs, and 76% say the cost of living means there is less to spend on non-essentials – rising to 80% among 18–39-year-olds. This younger cohort are leading the adoption of AI, social and creator-driven discovery. For value-conscious shoppers, these newer channels are functioning as extra layers of research rather than novelty – 69% say they rely on online research to feel confident before they buy, and AI summaries, social content, and creator recommendations are increasingly where they find their short lists.
AI is now a key part of the shopping toolkit – 55% of New Zealand online shoppers use AI-powered tools or features at least sometimes when shopping, rising to 61% among 18–39-year-olds most often, to answer product questions and compare prices. The report notes that Kiwis are less trusting of AI recommendations than Australians are. Rather than taking AI at face value, shoppers are using it as a starting point – 76% of AI users say they use AI summaries for a quick answer and then click through to a website for detail, and 72% treat AI as one of several sources rather than the only one.
A similar pattern shows up in live chat – 34% of New Zealand online shoppers have used live chat or a virtual assistant in an online retail store, rising to 44% among
18–39-year-olds. New Zealanders lean on it most heavily at the comparison stage, right before committing to a purchase, and they appear to be using it to confirm a decision rather than replace their own judgement.
Martin Filz, CEO of Pureprofile said: “As the number of discovery channels continues to grow, trust has become even more important. The research shows New Zealand consumers are turning to AI, creators and social media to explore their options, but brands still need to earn confidence by delivering consistent, credible information wherever shoppers engage with them.”
Social media has become a core discovery channel, used by 67% of New Zealand online shoppers to discover, research or compare products – climbing to 84% among 18–39-year-olds. Content creators and influencers are a major driver – 49% of shoppers often or sometimes discover brands through creators they follow via social media video platforms and podcasts, rising to 76% among 18–29-year-olds, and 60% of under-40s have used creator or influencer content to discover, research or compare a purchase.
IAB New Zealand Commerce Media Working Group Lead Tina Trenkner-Meade, founder of commerce consultancy Signal & Light, comments: “Kiwi shoppers are willing to do the work to ensure their dollar goes as far as it can. They’ll scroll and stream through creator recs, and ask ChatGPT for a short list, but the shopping journey doesn’t end there just yet. They’re complementing research by searching online reviews and retail websites. The retailers winning are the ones ensuring their brand and product catalog show up consistently across every inspiration and discovery surface: online, in-store, social, video, AI. That consistency starts with writing and structuring descriptions and information that answers shopper questions in a way both humans and AI can understand.”
Additional findings from the report include:
- 93% of New Zealand online shoppers typically use a search engine or online store to discover, research or compare a purchase, and 90% say their use of regular search results has increased or stayed the same over the past year, even as AI-generated summaries become more common.
- Retailer websites remain the single most-used retail media touchpoint, read or looked at often or sometimes by 89% of New Zealand online shoppers.
- 56% of New Zealand online shoppers prefer to buy New Zealand-owned brands, a preference held consistently across all age groups.
Now in its 6th wave for Australia and 3rd wave for New Zealand, the IAB Australia and Pureprofile Commerce & Discovery Report 2026 is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,079 Australians and 877 New Zealanders aged 18–70 who have shopped online at least once in the last 12 months. The full report is available at iab.org.nz
– ENDS –
About IAB New Zealand
The Interactive Advertising Bureau of New Zealand (IAB New Zealand) is the not-for-profit trade association for interactive advertising established in 2007. It promotes growth and best practice for advertisers, agencies, and media owners. IAB New Zealand empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy.
For further information about IAB New Zealand please contact:
Angelina Farry
CEO IAB New Zealand
M: +64 275 870 045
E: [email protected]
About Pureprofile
Pureprofile’s vision is to deliver more value from the world’s information.
We are a global data and insights organisation providing industry-leading online research solutions to agencies, marketers, researchers and brands & businesses.
Our research delivers rich insights into real human behaviour and provides the “Why” behind the “What” through our unique ResTech and SaaS solutions. We build in-depth profiles of consumers via our proprietary and partner panels and give businesses the ability to understand, target, and ultimately engage with their audiences.
The Company, founded in 2000 and based in Surry Hills, Australia, now operates in North America, Europe and APAC and has delivered solutions for over 850 clients.
Media contact:
Ashford Pritchard for Pureprofile
T: 0411 020 680
E: [email protected]
