Kiwi shoppers gripped by Black Friday fever

Retail NZ spokesman Gary Harford said Black Friday sales were growing in popularity in New Zealand.

New Zealand may not celebrate Thanksgiving, but many Kiwis were yesterday giving thanks for cut-price goods as American-style Black Friday sales took place across the country.

Shoppers queued up before stores had opened to get their hands on bargains and retailers reported sales "light years ahead" of previous years.

Black Friday sales are held the day after Thanksgiving in the US, but the retail bonanza has spread across the globe in recent years.

Harvey Norman General Manager Graeme Watt said the sales had been "very well received".

"People have been snapping up bargains well beyond our expectations," he said.

"It started [on Thursday] night online and has continued through [yesterday] including queues outside our stores this morning."

Paymark was unable to provide official electronic sales figures yesterday, but retailers said customers were rushing to snap up the sales.

"As of 1pm [yesterday] our sales revenues are light years ahead of where we were this time last year," said Mr Watt.

Retail NZ spokesman Gary Harford said Black Friday sales were growing in popularity here. "It's been picked up by more and more retailers, which shows it's very successful for those taking part in it and that customers are increasingly taking part too."

Bargains included a $400 reduction on a 50" television at The Warehouse, $380 off a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet/laptop at Noel Leeming and a $500 saving on a five-person tent from Kathmandu.