Xmas tills ring joy for local retailers

Boxing Day shoppers at Rotorua Central. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua businesses were gifted with a busy Christmas Eve and Boxing Day as residents splashed out, spending money at record high levels.

According to the latest Paymark statistics, Bay of Plenty residents spent $18.5 million on Christmas Eve and a further $10.5 million on Boxing Day via Eftpos - a 7.2 per cent and 7.7 per cent increase on 2013 respectively.

Outdoorsman Headquarters owner Bryan French said the store had been busy, especially during the one-day Boxing Day sale.

"It's been very much the same as last year. Fractionally busier perhaps but on par with last year."

Michael Mansell from the Rotorua Bike Barn said the past few days had been "super busy".

Mr Mansell said it was a good mix of local people and visitors taking advantage of the sales.

"It's been very similar to last year. Lots of people in and looking around and spending money."

Rotorua Planet Nomad Backpackers manager Kerry Giles said the accommodation sector in Rotorua had seen a noticeable boost in profits.

"All the accommodation providers in Rotorua have been busy," she said.

"We have been almost full since Christmas and we expect that it will continue to be packed until the end of January.

"The town itself is similarly busy. People have been shopping at the mall and also in town over the 24th and the 26th and there has also been an influx of tourists to the area who are wanting to spend Christmas and New Years in Rotorua."

Across the country, Kiwis broke records, spending a whopping $404.3 million through the Paymark network on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

December 24 saw $263.5 million spent and $140.8 million was spent on Boxing Day.

Christmas Eve spending figures were up 10.5 per cent from 2013, while Boxing Day figures were up 4.8 per cent, which was an additional $6.4 million in the tills.

Paymark's Head of Customer Relations Mark Spicer said spending on the two days was a "record breaker".

"Christmas Eve this year smashed all our records," he said.

"Not only did we see the highest ever spending value through the network, we also saw the highest number of transactions at 4.8 million.

"During our busiest hour on Christmas Eve, traditionally 12 noon-1pm, another record was broken when the number of transactions processed per second peaked at 156. This compares with 148 transactions per second in 2013."

Some of the largest gains on 2013 were seen in the hospitality sector with 26.7 per cent growth recorded on Christmas Eve while the clothing, apparel and jewellery sector grew by 8.9 per cent.

"Food retailers, which includes cafes and restaurants, along with liquor merchants, were also strong performers on Christmas Eve," Mr Spicer said. They had increases of 13.5 per cent and 11.8 per cent respectively.

"We appear to have dined well on Christmas Eve and then returned for more on Boxing Day," he said.

What Kiwis bought on Boxing Day
• Flooring and furniture up 22 per cent
• Liquor up by 23.1 per cent
• Hospitality up 15.3 per cent
• Food retail up 14.3 per cent
• Department stores up 5 per cent.
• Clothing, apparel and jewellery up 0.8 per cent

- Compared to Boxing Day 2013