Why Buy Kiwi Matters and Why “Kiwi Owned” Really Counts

At Buy Kiwi, we believe in supporting our people and our country. When you buy from a Kiwi owned business, you’re not just getting great products, you are helping to keep jobs, taxes and your hard-earned dollars right here in New Zealand. 

Kiwi-owned businesses contribute directly to our economy, unlike overseas-owned retailers. That means:

• Jobs stay in NZ: local warehouses, offices, and customer service teams are staffed by New Zealanders.
• Profits stay in NZ: money earned by the business circulates in our economy, rather than being funnelled overseas to foreign shareholders.
• Our communities benefit: through wages, local spending, and taxes that help fund public services.

When you shop with Buy Kiwi, you’re keeping that cycle going. We’re 100% Kiwi owned and that really makes a difference.

Common Retailers People Think Are Kiwi-Owned, But Aren’t

Here are well-known online retails that many Kiwis assume these are locally owned, but foreign companies actually own them.

Trade Me

Kiwi entrepreneur Sam Morgan founded Trade Me in Wellington in 1999. Despite its local roots and Kiwi branding, foreign owners now run Trade Me. A private equity firm based in the UK called Apax Partners aquired the company in 2019.

So while it remains a major platform for buying and selling in New Zealand, the profits ultimately flow to foreign investors, not Kiwi families.

Dick Smith

Dick Smith actually originated in Australia, even though many Kiwis once saw it as a familiar name on New Zealand streets. After closing its physical stores in 2016, Kogan.com, an Australian company, acquired the Dick Smith brand and now operates the Kiwi-facing Dick Smith online store.

So when you shop with Dick Smith NZ today, you’re essentially buying through an Australian retailer, not supporting a Kiwi-owned business.

Mighty Ape

Mighty Ape began in Auckland in 1999, and many believed it to be a proud Kiwi e-commerce success.
However, in 2020 Kogan, the same Australian company that owns Dick Smith, bought Mighty Ape. Although the website still looks locally run, a foreign company owns it and takes the profits.

NZ Sale

NZ Sale operated in New Zealand for many years, and many shoppers considered it a Kiwi store. In reality, the Australian company OZSale has always fully owned NZ Sale as one of its subsidiaries.

What That Means And Why Buy Kiwi Is Different

When you shop at those big “local” retailers, Trade Me, Mighty Ape, Dick Smith and NZ Sale you might feel like you’re keeping money in New Zealand. But because foreign companies own these businesses, they send much of the profit out of the country. Over time, this drains economic benefits from Kiwi workers, communities, and our tax base.

By contrast, Buy Kiwi owns and operates its entire business right here in New Zealand. That means:

• Buy Kiwi pays wages to New Zealanders.
• Any profits stay in NZ, supporting growth, reinvestment, and local employment.
• We contribute directly to the strength of our economy, rather than enriching overseas shareholders.

If you care about supporting local jobs, local supply chains, and keeping money circulating within our communities, then choosing truly Kiwi-owned businesses makes a big difference.

Next time, buy from Kiwi-owned

Next time you click “Add to cart,” take a moment to ask: who really owns this business?

Buying from Buy Kiwi isn’t just a transaction, it’s a vote for a stronger New Zealand economy, more local jobs, and a community that supports itself.

Together, we can make sure more of what we spend stays right here at home.

Shop Now at www.buykiwi.co.nz