An exceptional day of trading is predicted in Hawke's Bay today as shoppers rush to get last-minute gifts before Santa's arrival.
Traditional pre-Christmas crowds were expected to swell as big-name chain stores such as Farmers, The Warehouse, Rebel Sports, Noel Leeming and Pumpkin Patch cut prices by up to 60per cent ahead of Boxing Day sales.
Paymark, which processes about 75 per cent of the country's electronic transactions, said that although there was a pattern of steady and consistent growth this month, retailers should expect a big final push.
Spokesman Ben Robinson said: "We'd expect to see a bumper final stretch in true Kiwi tradition."
During the first 20 days of December, Eftpos spending in the Hawke's Bay region was at $81.8 million, a 1.4 per cent increase on the same period last year.
"Every year we see transactions through our system peaking just after midday on Christmas Eve, but this year it may come earlier, given that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday," Mr Robinson said.
Nationally, spending was up 4.7 per cent.
Retailers throughout Bay shopping centres reported not only a fiscal boost, but a more festive and cheery atmosphere from shoppers.
Napier's Cool Toys owner Glen Chan said he was expecting today to be an exceptional day of trading for the store that had been busier than last festive season.
"It's probably up to about somewhere near 20 per cent on what we were doing last year."
He put that down to an increase sale of high-ticket items, and the popularity of wooden toys, slot cars, and doll houses.
Havelock North-based online wine retailer Advintage owner, John Macpherson, said this year was the business' best Christmas in three years.
"Champagne sales, the real stuff, are up, which is a good indicator of where people are at."
Beattie & Forbes Bookseller co-owner James Landon said yesterday and today would be the biggest days for the store .
"Every year there is a group of people that always leave it to the last minute and we are as ready for them this week as we were last year," Mr Landon said. "It has been strong this year and we still have the biggest days to come."
Kathleen Robins, who owns Napier's luxurious gift and jewellery shops Ooma and Beija Flor, said Pandora, Thomas Sabo and Briarwood merchandise were luring crowds of shoppers.
"It seems people have left it later this year," she said. "People are still quite relaxed and calm so it has been really enjoyable with lots of happy people."
However, Mrs Robins was among retailers who had noticed a shift in spending habits to more controlled purchasing.
"They are thinking hard about their purchases more," she said. Holly Bacon Company's Claire Vogtherr said she, too, noticed the change, as ham orders were placed earlier than usual.
"People were very organised, I think maybe because they had to budget," she said.
While ham orders had ceased for Mrs Vogtherr, mayhem was expected at supermarkets.