Shoppers targeted as sales stretch into New Year

Figures show Kiwis spent a record-breaking $404.3m on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day combined. Photo / Chris Gorman

Boxing Day is over but retailers are stretching their sales by as much as a week to persuade shoppers to open their wallets.

Bargain-hunters contributed to record-breaking sales this year, spending more than $140 million on Friday, according to Paymark figures released yesterday.

But many of the big stores are determined to lure in more shoppers. Many sales continue into this week.

Greg Harford, general manager of public affairs at Retail NZ, said bad weather meant a slow start to festive spending but things had taken off through Christmas week.

"It is a very competitive market and retailers will want to make the most of this.

"They will keep offering up good deals while the sun is still shining and people are on holiday and spending."

The Paymark figures showed Kiwis spent a record-breaking $404.3m on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day combined.

Shoppers racked up a total of $140.8m sales on Boxing Day -- $6.4m more than was spent on Boxing Day last year. Christmas Eve was once again the busiest day this year, with $263.5m in sales processed, up 10.5 per cent on the previous year.

Paymark's head of customer relations Mark Spicer said spending patterns were slightly different this year with flooring and furniture seeing big spends.

"It would seem that people have been spending on the house and also making the most of the weather and socialising with good increases out of the liquor and food sectors as well."

Spicer said spending on food, liquor and entertainment were always strong throughout the festive season, however this Boxing Day spending in the hospitality sector was up 15.3 per cent on last year and spending in the food retail sector was up 14.3 per cent.

Changes in spending patterns still didn't keep shoppers away from a JB Hi-Fi in Auckland.

A customer service member from JB Hi-Fi in Westfield Manakau said Boxing Day was "crazy" with customers rushing through the doors to nab a bargain.

Harford said spending throughout the year was slightly up on last year.

Boxing Day and beyond

• Harvey Norman's sale ends Tuesday.

• Noel Leeming's Boxing Day Price Smash also runs until Tuesday.

• JB Hi-Fi's End of Year Madness Sale runs until New Year's Eve.

• Briscoes has a sale until today.

• The Warehouse's four-day Boxing Day sale runs until tomorrow.