Bay retailers are preparing for another busy Boxing Day. Photo / NZME
Bay retailers are preparing for another busy Boxing Day. Photo / NZME
Bay of Plenty retailers' anticipation of a busy Christmas and Boxing Day has intensified after a year with more Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.
Shops are full, shelves are stacked and storage rooms are primed with extra stock ready for the last-minute Christmas rush and the race to snap up BoxingDay bargains.
But a retail expert warns there will be extra pressure this year because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation and stock shortages.
"These days are huge for retail and are incredibly important this year given how difficult the last few months have been.
"There are always customers who leave their shopping until the last minute, and there will always be customers looking for some great bargains in the Boxing Day sales."
Harford said Bay customers spent about $4.3 million in the shops - excluding food, liquor and hospitality - on Boxing Day last year.
"It will be busy over the next few days in the run up to Christmas and again in the Boxing Day sales season."
But Harford said there would be extra pressure this year because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation and stock shortages.
"Retail NZ is encouraging everyone to be patient, stay calm and remember that everyone working in retail is doing their best to help."
Papamoa Plaza centre manager David Hill. Photo / NZME
Papamoa Plaza centre manager David Hill said shops were full, shelves were stacked and storage rooms were primed with extra stock ready for the busy holiday period.
Hill said the lead-up to Christmas and Boxing Day was hugely important for retailers this year.
"The anticipation is palpable."
December foot traffic so far was on par with last December, which Hill said was pleasing to most retailers who expected the bounceback from lockdown to be less buoyant compared to 2020.
"The trends so far into December include a lot more of the treat me and treat the family versus the larger big-ticket items.
"Pamper packs are proving very popular. Boogie boards are rocking out the door in larger numbers than previous years."
Bayfair Shopping Centre manager Steve Ellingford. Photo / NZME
Bayfair Shopping Centre manager Steve Ellingford said he was expecting a good day on December 26.
"December started off slowly but visitation has picked up and we are probably running in line with what we were last year, which is positive."
Ellingford said extra cleaning, security and customer service staff have been hired in preparation for a busy Boxing Day.
"Everything has increased. We're expecting the influx of Aucklanders to have a big impact on the region."
Mount Business Association board member and Paper Plane store owner, Tim Plews, said retail had been a "funny one" this year.
"We have been really lucky to be in homewares over this period as there has been an increased focus on people's homes due to the lockdowns.
"Trading has been good for us leading up to Christmas because of this.
"An increase in people using our online store has more than made up for any lack of in-store sales and people on the street."
On the other hand, Plews said acquiring stock with shipping delays and logistics challenges across the board had been incredibly frustrating.
"We have had to buy up stock whenever we could for fear of not being able to get it at a later date."
Plews said he was hoping to see an increase in foot traffic from Aucklanders, which they had missed in the last few months.
"We are so thankful, though, for the loyal local support we have received over this period."
Greerton Village Community Association manager Sally Benning said they had been busy with the build-up to Christmas and she expected that to continue until Christmas Eve.
"Christmas is always an important retail time and this year, after lockdowns will be all the more important for people to shop locally."
Craig Carter, the owner of Option Gifts & Homewares store in Bethlehem Town Centre, said it had been a very busy week leading up to the busy Boxing Day sales.
"But this year feels quite strange. It's very much wait and see how busy we will be given our location, and it also depends on our stock levels. "
Carter said this year they had struggled to get sufficient supplies of some of their popular homeware goods including from India, fortunately they had just received a large order which would help replenish the shelves.
He said, however, shoppers appeared far more prepared to buy their gifts early and his concern was that sales may well slow down earlier than expected.
Carter also said this year many retailers had participated in big sales campaigns such as the Black Friday sales in late November and many shoppers may well have snapped up bargains as Christmas gifts.
Carter also said it was an ongoing challenge as a smaller business to be able to compete with larger chain stores that regularly advertised heavily discounted items.
Rod Duke, chief executive of the Briscoes Group
Rod Duke, chief executive of the Briscoes Group which owns Rebel Sport, said Boxing Day was the second biggest day of the year behind Black Friday.
"It's a very important shopping day for all New Zealand."
Duke said Covid could mean a busier shopping day than usual with fewer people travelling overseas at this time of year.
