Christmas shoppers spend $301.2 million

Bay of Plenty shoppers spent nearly $13 million more in December compared with the same period a year ago - but not all retailers enjoyed the Christmas boost.
Spending was up 4.4 per cent in the region with figures released by Paymark revealing the region's shoppers spent $301.2 million in December, compared with $288.4 million in 2009. This is a rise of $12.8 million.
The region also experienced a 4.4 per cent increase in the number of electronic transactions, with 5.69 million last December compared with 5.46 million in the corresponding month the previous year.
The Bay of Plenty's increase in spending was also above the national average of 3.9 per cent year-on-year.
As Christmas approached, retailers in South Canterbury, Gisborne and the Waikato fared best with increases of 6 per cent, 6 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
Meanwhile, there were mixed feelings about December's trading among Tauranga retailers.
Don Stewart Jewellers co-owner Neville Stewart had not yet finalised his December trading figures but estimated they would be similar to the Paymark estimate.
"It would have been up 3.5-4.5 per cent. It's not a huge amount, but the figures are very strong in the present climate, I feel.
"December trading was very good, it was a good solid month. We are definitely in a better position than we were last December - but we work hard."
Books a Plenty owner Chris Baskett said business had been up in areas of trade and down in others. "It was a good busy Christmas season, there's no doubt about that. It wasn't stupendous but nobody expected that in these economic times."
Mrs Baskett said she was impressed with the number of people attracted to the central city. "It's a good, busy and interesting place to be at Christmas time."
But not all retailers were celebrating.
Bees n' Buttercups owner Bernie Peters said both his gift stores in downtown Tauranga and Mount Maunganui had felt the pinch of tougher economic times.
"The Mount held up better than Tauranga. It was a bit tougher [than last December] but not a lot for us, it was marginal. I'm reasonably pleased given the circumstances - it's not exactly overly buoyant out there."
Another central city clothing retailer, who did not wish to be named, described December trading as "rubbish".
He said the increase in sales nationally was counteracted by the 2.5 per cent increase in GST. "No one's got any money to spend, that's all I could figure, or the people who have got money are keeping it."
However, Tauranga Chamber of Commerce vice-president Anne Pankhurst described a "serious buzz" in the marketplace during Christmas trading, reflecting a good summer for retailers.
She said the sunny weather "seemed to have a really good positive effect on everybody over the Christmas holidays".