An increase in electronic card spending in the Bay of Plenty is proving more people are turning to online shopping, says Tauranga Chamber of Commerce.

Nationally, electronic card spending increased 1.1 per cent in June – while increasing by 2.8 per cent in the Bay of Plenty.

More people are turning to online shopping. File photo.

Fuel and hospitality spending had the largest rises of the retail industries. Spending on fuel was up 3.5 per cent ($24million), while hospitality spending increased 1.7 per cent ($12million).

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Anne Pankhurst says the national results would fairly represent what is happening in the retail sector in Tauranga.

'For some, it is very difficult and they are struggling and they are probably those sectors that Paymark identifies.
'For some retailers they are probably going to have to adapt and find their niche away from the traditional expectation of customers walking through the door.”
Anne says those adapting to the new retail scenario (of online sales) are probably noticing a slight increase in sales.

Anne says about 8 per cent of a retailers' sales are now coming from online shopping.

'When you factor that into a store, that is 8 per cent of their trade that has potentially left and gone to a different method of selling.”

She says 8 per cent is not a huge amount when you compare it to Australia's 14 per cent online shopping figure.

'Those stores that have adapted and have got not only a traditional shop front, but they also have the online presence.

'There is, without a doubt, a change in retailing in the last five years. It has altered dramatically.”

Anne predicts businesses to have smaller shop fronts in the future, with a larger online presence.

She says this way they won't have as many overheads such as rent, power and phone bills.

'It's a very interesting change. And there are certain industries people won't be able to access online, such as hairdressing.”

'We do acknowledge it's a struggle for retailers and we are always in the business of trying to help business as much as we can with training and other things.”