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After splashing out more than a billion dollars before Christmas, Kiwis are expected to be in the mood to keep spending today at the Boxing Day sales.
Retailers' concerns that pre-Christmas shopping was in a slump were relieved by a late rush, and spending in the week to Monday was 4 per cent up on the same time last year.
The only exception was Gisborne, hit by an earthquake on Thursday that badly damaged the main shopping area. Spending there was down 1.7 per cent.
All other regions were up on last year. The highest increases were in Auckland/Northland (5.3 per cent), Canterbury (5.1 per cent) and Nelson (5.1 per cent).
Shoppers in Auckland and Northland spent about $457 million on Christmas shopping.
Nearly 20 million electronic transactions were done during the week, processed either in stores or online around the country.
The Paymark network processes three-quarters of New Zealand's eftpos and credit car transactions.
Its chief executive, Simon Tong, said: "Transaction volumes have definitely done what we would have expected at this time of the year. The good weather and proliferation of sales have meant most Kiwis have been out in force getting things ready for Christmas Day."
Retailers expect big crowds today, and many large department stores are slashing prices.
Sylvia Park shopping centre worker Stacey Manaia said the mall was not too hectic on Christmas Eve.
But she expected Boxing Day to be "very crazy", with most of the store's shops having sales.
A spokeswoman for Westfield, Debra McGhie, said the company would not have pre-Christmas sales figures for its malls until retailers' reports were in, but early indications were that the year would have been solid for retailers.
"As Christmas Eve fell on a Monday we expected shoppers to have taken the opportunity to shop right up to the last minute.
"Customer counts are also solid, and it appears shoppers have welcomed the extra day for their Christmas shopping."
She expected Boxing Day to be busy as people redeemed Christmas gift vouchers, and said some shops might open early to reduce queues.
