Waterfront hosts online retail show

Online Retailer New Zealand - the local version of Sydney's Online Retailer Conference & eCommerce Expo - comes to Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Wednesday. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Australia's biggest online retailing conference is crossing the Tasman for the first time.

Online Retailer New Zealand - the local version of Sydney's Online Retailer Conference & eCommerce Expo - comes to Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Wednesday.

Speakers will include Tony Nash, chief executive of Australian web-based book retailer Booktopia, Iceonline.com.au managing director Nick Molnar and Abel Butler, of New Zealand online health supplement seller HealthPost.

NZX-listed ecommerce technology developer SLI Systems will also be taking part.

SLI's Mark Brixton said the event showed the online retail market in this country had matured to the point where it could support it.

"[Ecommerce] is just really kicking off in New Zealand," he said. "It's been an isolated market for so long and I think this show is an opportunity for potential clients to see what's going on in the rest of the world and get up to speed."

Mark Johnston, chief executive of industry group Retail NZ, said Kiwi online businesses had gained some valuable insights from the Sydney conference in the past.

"Sharing some of those success stories with a much wider audience locally in Auckland is an opportunity for New Zealand retailers, both big and small, to learn about some of the current best eCommerce practice close to home," he said.

Kiwis spent $2.7 billion online in the year to September 2013, with almost 40 per cent going to overseas retailers, say figures compiled by BNZ.