Shoppers hit the stores for Boxing Day spending sprees

Ciara and Arla were among the shoppers out to snag a bargain on Boxing Day at Queensgate mall in Lower Hutt. Photo / RNZ / Mary Argue

By Mary Argue of RNZ

Shoppers have packed into stores on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, to take advantage of Boxing Day sales.

At Lower Hutt’s Queensgate shopping mall, there were plenty of people on the hunt for a bargain.

Clothes, makeup and jewellery were the most popular purchases among the people RNZ spoke with.

One shopper, Emma, who had an armload of goods, said she did not normally partake in Boxing Day hype but this year she couldn’t help herself.

“I don’t usually do this, but I had the money and there’s so many things I want recently, so I’m going to treat myself.

“I was taking a photo to show my friends the damage that I’ve done to my financial status.”

Ciara and Arla were among the shoppers out to snag a bargain on Boxing Day at Queensgate mall in Lower Hutt. Photo / RNZ / Mary Argue

Emma said $320 she was given for Christmas had covered some but not all of her new items, and she was nervous to check her bank account.

But that wasn’t all she was nervous about: “I work downstairs, and I don’t want to go to work right now – it’s horrendous, so busy!”

Ciara – who was normally out of town at this time of year – had decided to capitalise on being in the city on Boxing Day, and within 90 minutes she and friend Arla had scooped up new pyjamas, multiple T-shirts, makeup and some jewellery charms.

It was shoulder to shoulder in some stores at Queensgate. Photo / RNZ / Mary Argue

Other shoppers, Callum, Abby, and Riley, had been coming to the mall for consecutive years in a bid to find the best post-Christmas bargains.

“We’ve come for four or five years now on Boxing Day,” one said.

“I’ve got a couple of shirts and a new hoodie – 50% off, it’s pretty good.”

Anthony was at Queensgate not for himself, but to pick up some belated Christmas presents for people.

“Here for the deals, here for the steals.

“Something for my brother-in-law and partner [jewellery] ... it’s just a watch.”

Fifteen-year-old Caden was carrying the shopping bags for his whānau —clothes for his sister and a toy for his brother.

“For myself, I got a $300, 1500-piece Lego.”

He said $90 worth of vouchers plus 15% off meant it was a pretty good deal, and he was eyeing up some new headphones as well.

Meanwhile, by mid-morning on Boxing Day, Trade Me said more than 4600 unwanted Christmas presents had been advertised for sale on its site, including some humorous listings. A spokesperson for the company said that figure was expected to grow, and a sizeable chunk of the sellers had promised to donate their earnings to charities.

- RNZ

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