Rotorua streets hum with Boxing Day bargain hunters

Zeel and Paras Shah spent the day shopping including in Rotorua Central. Photo / Laura Smith

The sun was beaming and so were the faces of successful Boxing Day bargain hunters in Rotorua yesterday.

Rotorua resident Bette Vercoe and her two adult daughters were among the first in the city to hit the streets in search of a sale.

And they found them: “Rotorua has turned it on.”

The first on their list was to replace a popped airbed, but really they were just looking for sales.

Vercoe was spending the day with her daughters, Wahineiti Vercoe and Moana Nio-Aporo.

Rotorua local Bette Vercoe (front) with her two daughters Moana Nio-Aporo (left) and Wahineiti Vercoe before their Boxing Day shop. Photo / Laura Smith

Kings and Queens Jewellery operations manager Maz Kumar said both the Bayfair and Rotorua stores were hectic.

”Really full on.”

He said he understood there were about 28,000 people at Bayfair on one of the days leading up to Christmas, and he believed there would have been even more yesterday.

”We’ll be quite a bit up from last year.”

There were people from all walks of life and it was enjoyable seeing them all, he said.

Retailers speaking with the Rotorua Daily Post ahead of the sales had said bad weather was likely to bring shoppers to the door.

But Heather Vail, who helps at her daughter’s store, Lala Mandala, said the good weather made for happy and relaxed customers.

The store normally closed on a Monday but opened especially for the Boxing Day foot traffic, which she said had been good.

There were lots of locals, travellers and people visiting family from out of town, and all were in good spirits.

Seeing the numbers out and about gave them a glimmer of hope, she said, following on from a difficult few years.

“It’s nice to see people strolling the street.”

Heather (left) and Laleyna Vail from Rotorua store Lala Mandala were pleased with the Boxing Day foot traffic. Photo / Laura Smith

While the streets were quiet in the morning, there was a hum to the city’s streets by midday as groups of families and friends adorned with sunhats and shades headed to town to peruse the racks and shelves.

In Whakatāne, Whitegold. kids clothing and homeware boutique owner Laura Shaw said she had been expecting Boxing Day to be busier.

“I think it’s because last year Boxing Day was on a Sunday,” Shaw said.

Shaw bought Whitegold in April and said this was the first year the shop was open on Boxing Day.

“Everyone’s out having a wander. They’re enjoying the sunshine,” Shaw said, describing the atmosphere on The Strand.

“It’s a chilled vibe but I think people aren’t necessarily looking to spend money.”

Zeel and Paras Shah spend the day wandering around Rotorua’s shops, first on Tutānekai St then at Rotorua Central.

The pair was mostly hunting for clothing bargains, and Paras said they found a few good deals.

They both said it was good to be around crowds of people.

Zeel and Paras Shah spent the day shopping including in Rotorua Central. Photo / Laura Smith

Meanwhile, some of those who were less than pleased with their Christmas presents wasted no time listing them on Trade Me.

Of more than 4300 items listed as unwanted gifts, 166 were from the Bay of Plenty and included chilly bins, chess boards and lots of clothing.

In total, more than 34,000 searches had been made for unwanted gifts since Christmas day before midday Boxing Day.

Worldline New Zealand would have data on Boxing Day sales after today but chief sales officer Bruce Proffit said overall data was likely to show retail shoppers spent more this year than last year in the week leading up to Christmas.

“At this stage, it looks like 2022 could be set to take out the record of highest ever consumer spend for pre-Christmas shopping in New Zealand.”