BuyLokal: makers, not middlemen. Every product NZ-made or re-homed.
Schools, clubs, marae — fund-raise with zero platform fees.Community fundraisers: zero fees. See how →
Globalised supply chains are fragile. Food security starts at home.
Keep Your Money
In Your Community.
Local growers, makers, and retailers — trading directly, town by town. When the next shipping crisis hits, Aotearoa's resilience comes from what we can grow, make and sell to each other.
Deglobalise the Basics
Food, crafts, trades — sourced from the people in your town, not a container ship from halfway across the world. Every local purchase shortens the supply chain your family depends on.
Food Security Starts Locally
Raglan growers, Coromandel woodworkers, Marton tradies — when you spend with neighbours, you fund the farms, workshops and skills your region needs when global systems wobble.
Small Businesses Thrive Together
Makers sell through local retailers. Shops get unique products. Customers get authentic Kiwi goods. Every dollar circulates three times locally before it leaves — supporting families, not faceless corporations.
"Every dollar spent locally shortens the supply chain. Every cheap import lengthens it. When the ships stop, only local economies keep moving."
We're looking for local makers
Know a Kiwi making something with their hands? A potter, a joiner, the lady who knits jerseys at the A&P? Send us their story (or yours) and a good photo. We'll feature one every week here on the homepage — free, forever.
Why Buying Local Actually Matters
Covid, shipping crises, supermarket duopolies, offshore ownership of our food brands — the last few years have shown how fragile globalised supply chains really are. Aotearoa's resilience is built one town at a time, by the growers, makers and shopkeepers who actually live here.
Deglobalise Your Supply Chain
Every overseas-made product travels thousands of kilometres through ports, trucks, warehouses and middlemen — any of which can fail. Local goods move from the workshop next door to the shop down the road.
Shorter chains = fewer points of failure.
Strengthen Food Security
When you buy from the growers, bakers, preservers and butchers in your town, you fund the farms and skills your community needs when imports stall. Food security isn't a slogan — it's who's still producing in your region.
Local producers today = full shelves tomorrow.
Support Local Business
A dollar spent with a Kiwi-owned shop circulates up to 3× more in your region than the same dollar spent with a multinational — wages, rates, suppliers, sponsorships. Local businesses fund your community; offshore shareholders don't.
Profits that stay here build towns that thrive.
How We Make Local-First Actually Work
Strong rhetoric needs strong plumbing. Here's what sets BuyLokal apart from the big marketplaces that charge makers 15% and route profits offshore.
0% Commission
We don't take a cut from your sales. Artists, tradies, and retailers keep 100% of their revenue. 30-day free trial, no card required. Then just $2/month for artists, tradies & designers, $5/month for retailers.
Direct Partnerships
Retailers message artists directly, create partnership contracts, and manage wholesale relationships. Built-in messaging & contract signing.
SEO-Optimized Profiles
Every artist & retailer profile is indexed by Google. Get discovered by customers searching for local products in your town. CSV bulk uploads for retailers.
More Ways to Strengthen Your Community
BuyLokal.kiwi isn't just about buying—it's about building resilient local economies through sharing and exchange.
Community Marketplace
Buy, sell, trade and barter with your neighbours — any time
List something once and message buyers (or sellers) directly on BuyLokal — Monday afternoon, Sunday morning, whenever suits. Meet up locally to swap, hand cash over, or barter. No middlemen, no shipping headaches.
Trade things like:
- • Spare produce (feijoas, veges, lemons)
- • Homemade goods (jams, breads, preserves)
- • Tools & building materials from renovations
- • Household items you no longer need
How it works:
- List your item — takes a minute
- Buyers message you through BuyLokal, any day
- Arrange a meet-up that suits you both
- Hand it over and trade directly — no online payments needed
Want to meet face-to-face? You can also tag your listing to an upcoming community market day in your town.
Community Rideshare
Share rides, save petrol, reduce emissions
High petrol prices hurting? Share rides with neighbors heading the same direction.
Perfect for:
- • Daily commutes (share petrol costs)
- • Weekend trips to the city
- • School runs & community events
- • One-off trips or regular schedules
Benefits:
- ✓ Split petrol costs with passengers
- ✓ Reduce your carbon footprint
- ✓ Meet neighbors & build community
- ✓ Help those without transport
Clear distinction: The main BuyLokal.kiwi platform is for craftspeople selling through local shops. Trading Markets and Rideshare are bonus community features to help neighbors exchange everyday goods and share transport.
Recently joined Aotearoa's local network
1 artists · 2 retailers · 4 community groups · 7 merchandise designs
Find your town on the map
Orange dots have local artists, retailers, or merchandise. Click any dot to open that town's page.
Ready to Sell Your Work or Services?
Join BuyLokal.kiwi as an artist, tradie, or designer ($2/month) or retailer ($5/month). Start with a 30-day free trial, no card required. Community members always free.
Tradies, real estate, cafés, services — see plans from $2/mo. Real estate offices get a featured rotating spot on every town homepage — $99/mo office + $5/mo per agent.