It takes a Boy Thing for men to shop online

By Yvette Wakelin
Martin Bisset spends all day staring at his computer screen - trawling internet sites, sending emails and researching business ideas.
It sounds like a relaxed life but for this Western Bay man, it's all about making money and keeping his virtual business booming.
The owner of "It's a Boy Thing" said the decision to run his business, which specialises in gifts for men, solely on the internet had come up trumps.
"It's a really great alternative. Not only do you save on shop rental costs, fixtures and fittings ... but you don't have to spend your weekends standing around in the shop waiting for customers. Instead they [customers] come to you."
And it seems internet shopping is catching on fast in this country.
Since 2001 the number of people opting to buy online has increased four-fold, with more than 1.25 million New Zealanders having shopped online in the past year.
Since launching his business 14 months ago at www.itsaboything.co.nz, which sells everything from jewellery to foosball tables, Mr Bisset said he had observed the growing trend.
"There's no doubt about it, I have really noticed an increase in the number of people buying online."
In the past four months alone Mr Bisset's customer base had leapt from 80 to 250 people.
"I think shopping on the internet is so much easier. You don't have to go out anywhere, find a park or jump between shops. On the internet it's all there for you."
The research, conducted by Nielsen Media Panorama, also revealed that of the 1,250,000 shoppers - 80 per cent had shopped online in the past three months.
Nielsen Media Research New Zealand executive director Stuart Jamieson said more than 400,000 New Zealanders had made at least six online purchases in the past year - a 700 per cent increase from 2001.
Most money was spent on airline tickets at $508 million, with travel-related services, such as hotels and car hire at $233 million, computer hardware at $183 million and clothing and shoes at $149 million.
But while the internet has broken down borders and opened up the world of online shopping, buying goods on the net can still be a risky business.
Customs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said that while internet shopping was a great way of finding special or novelty gifts, it did not necessarily mean the items were allowed into the country.
"While internet shopping is a great way of finding those ... presents or novelty gifts, consumers need to be aware that just because you can order something over the internet, it doesn't mean you can import it legally into New Zealand."