Seasonal bargain hunting at Sylvia Park Mall. Picture / Jason Oxenham.
Seasonal bargain hunting at Sylvia Park Mall. Picture / Jason Oxenham.
Cash registers are set to ring at shopping centres around the country tomorrow as retailers slash prices on big ticket items like technology, appliances and furniture for the New Year sales.
Kiwi consumers have already splurged these holidays, spending $139 million electronically on Boxing Day - 6.4 per cent more than last year - according to data from Paymark, and are expected to take advantage of the new deals.
Retail New Zealand's Greg Harford said Boxing Day transaction figures suggested New Zealanders were in "shopping mode".
"We would be expecting New Year's sales to be reasonably strong."
Westfield Manukau City centre manager Paul Gardner agreed.
"Given the volumes that we had a Boxing Day and even the last couple of days it looks like it's going to be a huge week foot traffic wise for all the Westfield centres in New Zealand and we anticipate that New Year's day is going to be big," he told the Herald on Sunday.
Electronics tended to be good sellers at this time of year, Gardner said, and large retailers like Noel Leeming, JB HiFi and EB Games were likely to cash in.
Appliances had been popular purchases both in the lead up to Christmas and afterward, data from Paymark showed, with Boxing Day sales figures for the product category up by 53 per cent year on year.
One sign says it all at Westfield St Lukes. Picture / Richard Robinson
Consumer electronics chain Noel Leeming is among those offering New Year discounts and spokesman Jason Bell said staff were expecting the "flurry of foot traffic" observed during the Boxing Day sales to continue.
"Items such as portable Bluetooth speakers are favourites at this time of year as Kiwis hit the beach or bach over summer.
"Devices including laptops and tablets are also proving popular as families return from holiday and begin ticking off tech essentials for their child's return to school."
The recommended retail prices on DSLR cameras and large TVs (60 inch and above) would be reduced by 20 per cent and at least one model of HP laptop was on sale for $388, he said.
Farmers department store is already advertising hefty discounts too - with Sleepyhead beds and some brands of furniture marked down to half price.
At The Warehouse shoppers would be able to get a Veon 40 inch LED-LCD HD TV for $299.
The retail giant would also have "buy one get one half price" deals on camping, fishing and waters sports gear as well as Beachworks branded swim wear, spokeswoman Sarah Slawson said.
"Items such as camping and fishing essentials, fitness and water sport gear are favourites in the early new year.
"Large plastic storage is also particularly popular with customers, as families pack away Christmas decorations or tidy up their homes over the break."
