Shoppers out for a bargain

BARGAINS: Tishkin, 9, Nikita, 16, and Billie McKenzie-McEvoy, 9, loved their big spend-up yesterday as it gave them a chance to get quite a few extras to add to their Christmas loot. PHOTO/RUTH KEBER

Cars were backed up along Devonport Rd in the city centre and carparks were scarce at Fraser Cove and Bayfair yesterday as shoppers took advantage of Boxing Day sales.

Boxing Day shopper Cara Kellett said she went to Fraser Cove twice yesterday.

"We left home at 9.30am with two cars. We did all the kids' shopping first. The kids picked all their toys and then they went home and now I am doing the round the kids don't want to do."

Mrs Kellett, a midwife at Bay Midwifery Centre, was on the hunt for new furniture for her office.

"I had been planning on doing my office for a while and it was 40 per cent off furniture, so I couldn't really say no to that."

The Papamoa resident said her family had given gift vouchers to each other on Christmas Day so they were taking advantage of them too.

Billie McKenzie-McEvoy, 9, hit the shops with her sister and family to spend the money she had received on Christmas Day.

"I got new clothes and sneakers," she said.

Steve Ellingford, Bayfair Centre manager, said Bayfair had been heaving since opening at 9am.

At 2.15pm, the centre had more than 25,000 people through the door. Last year, the mall saw 36,000 through the doors during Boxing Day.

"Based on what we have seen so far today we should finish similar to last year which was the busiest day the centre has had," he said.

The centre was open until 9pm last night, so there was still lots of time to shop.

Meanwhile, online shoppers across the Bay took advantage of Trade Me to rid themselves of unwanted gifts. Trade Me spokesman Jeff Hunkin said Kiwis clocked up thousands of searches for unwanted gifts on December 26 last year, and that was not expected to change in 2014.

Unwanted Christmas gifts in the Bay of Plenty region included The Truth About the Love Tour, Pink DVD, the seller said they had bought it for their father twice, "whoops" and leather Converse Chuck Taylor shoes.

"Boxing Day is a massive shopping day for New Zealanders online and offline, and on Trade Me we see things go berserk after the pre-Christmas lull.

"The Kiwi tradition of checking Trade Me for surplus presents and great deals is in full swing today. Last year, we saw 208,000 searches for unwanted gifts on Boxing Day. That means the fluoro underwear or novelty garden ornament you unwrapped yesterday might have a good chance of being snapped up by prowling bargain hunters."