Whanganui retailers banking on festive spending bump

People are being encouraged to spend locally this festive season. Photo / 123rf

With just over four weeks until Christmas, shoppers are being encouraged to spend locally and retailers are banking on a successful festive season to arrest what has been a slow year for many.

Mainstreet Whanganui chairwoman Nikki Oesterle said local retailers could expect a busy few months.

“Christmas always drives business, Christmas and summer are generally quite busy in Whanganui and we hope that we see that again this year as we come out of very, very tough winter,” she said.

It had been a grind for local businesses in the Whanganui area over the winter, but signs were positive leading into the summer.

Spending by the district’s residents was up 5.9% in August compared with the same month last year, Whanganui and Partners data shows.

Oesterle hopes events such as the Christmas parade, 3 Bridges Marathon, Downer New Zealand Masters Games and the newly reopened Sarjeant Gallery will help retailers thrive.

According to NZ Post, 37% of Kiwis aged 15 or over used online shopping in the first quarter of the year.

Oesterle encouraged people to look locally for Christmas gifts instead of making online shopping the primary option.

“It’s not rocket science – if you want to support the businesses in your town you have to shop locally.

“The money spent stays in town – if you order online, I get that it is convenient but does it support your local businesses? Does it support a bustling CBD in Whanganui? Probably not.”

Mainstreet Whanganui chairwoman Nikki Oesterle is urging people to go local for Christmas gifts instead of making online shopping the primary option. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

Paige’s Book Gallery’s Rochelle Handley is looking forward to an increase in customers leading into Christmas.

“This period is always gorgeously crazy,” she said.

“It’s a whirlwind and it’s fun. Our community is amazing, we do feel the love.

“There’s plenty of book lovers out there. The numbers are already ramping up and partly because of the Sarjeant Gallery opening.

“We’ve become a destination and will just keep getting busy and busier, without a doubt.”

Handley said it was important for people to shop locally.

“Shopping locally gives you the most beautiful experience and you are helping to create and keep jobs.

“Without customers we’d all have to close the doors. When you shop online, nine times out of 10 your money is going offshore and if we lose the CBD then you lose that caring and coming-together feeling.”

Helen Allpress, of Fat Rabbit in Marton, agreed.

“We get a lot of out-of-towners come to Marton around this time,” she said.

“It’s incredibly important for locals to keep on supporting businesses.

“Besides Christmas and New Year’s Day, I stay open because we still get a lot of visitors who want to be able to shop.”

Meanwhile, Oesterle hoped a retail bump would last throughout summer.

“Up until March, we think Whanganui is going to be really busy.”