Rotorua jam-packed with Boxing Day shoppers chasing bargains

Danielle Christie braves the queues to pick up some Boxing Day bargains at The Warehouse. Photo/Stephen Parker

Rotorua's inner city was bustling and the Central Mall was jam-packed as shoppers braved the crowds to take advantage of this year's Boxing Day sales.

Boxing Day is one of the busiest days of the year for local retailers with many preparing for a boom in shoppers.

Last year Paymark figures showed the Bay of Plenty registered a 5 per cent increase in electronic transactions on Boxing Day compared with 2015.

And experts predicted 2017 would be another "exceptionally strong" year.

Danielle Christie was one local who braved the shops yesterday, making a few laps of the carpark until she found an empty spot.

"I don't know if the bargains are really worth fighting the crowds for," she said.

"It was so hard to find a car park anywhere near the shops."

Stuck in a long queue with a sleeping baby, Christie had a few pairs of shoes and items of clothing hanging from the side of her trolley.

"When we went into Rebel Sports there were some hard-out queues," she said

Danielle Christie braves the queues to pick up some Boxing Day bargains at The Warehouse. Photo/Stephen Parker

The Warehouse Rotorua manager Sally Rison said it had been a great day, "very busy".

Shopper Emma Lund already had a few bags in her hands as she joined the queue at The Warehouse.

"The kids wanted to go shopping and I am stuck on babysitting duty," she said.

"They wanted to come for the sales and to spend the vouchers they got for Christmas."

She said they were dropped off so didn't have to fight for a carpark, but the shops had been "pretty mad".

"I reckon The Warehouse has been the worst for queues."

Macpac Rotorua manager Liz Sharp said the day had been rather busy.

"It was a busy start to the day and everyone has been in really good spirits.

"We've had a slower buildup to Christmas this year, but Boxing Day has definitely hit back."

Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust general manager Peter Faulkner said he had spent his Boxing Day in Tauranga.

"I can't really comment on what things were like in Rotorua, but I get the impression that if it's anything like Bayfair, she will be pretty full-on."

Last week Faulkner said the sales weren't "as frantic in the leadup," but expected it to catch up.

He said he was expecting Boxing Day sales to be "exceptionally strong".

In the leadup to Christmas Kiwis were in the mood to shop.

Paymark figures showed Saturday's midday to 1pm hour broke the previous record - set the day before - with 10,200 transactions every single minute.

Paymark's Paul Brislen said last week that Christmas spending was up 7.6 per cent on last year, which did not include online shopping.