The 7am start at Myer and David Jones proved a little too early for most – only five people were waiting when Myer opened its doors – however staff at the department stores weren’t alone for long as a steady stream of customers began pouring in from about 9am.

By lunchtime, queues were forming outside change rooms and cash registers were ringing hot.

Wollongong Central boss Dennis Price said it was a long day but a good one for both customers and shop owners.

“It started out slowly, so I did think it might just be like any normal Saturday, but by 9.30am there were people everywhere,” he said.

“I spoke to about a dozen retailers in the afternoon and they were all very happy. Some said they’d done three times the trade they would do on a normal Saturday.

“Given we didn’t know how it would turn out, I’d say it’s been a roaring success.”

It is the first year Wollongong stores have been allowed to trade on Boxing Day, on the back of recent changes to the law that previously only allowed shops in the CBD and tourist precincts, such as Shellharbour, to open.

Mount St Thomas woman Morgan Clark made a bee-line for the jewellery section when she arrived at David Jones Wollongong on Saturday morning, picking up a Samantha Wills ring on sale.

“I saved $40 by buying it today instead of on Christmas Eve so that’s pretty good,” she said.

“But I did just spent money on a handbag I hadn’t planned on buying.”

Ms Clark said she was impressed with the degree of discounting, especially given the markdowns and sales leading up to Christmas.

Another shopper keen to get in and get out quickly was former Wombarra resident Bill Buttemer, who arrived at Myer just before 7am intending to heading straight to the manchester department.

“It’s my first time at the Boxing Day sales and I’ve got four things on my list, so I just want to get in, get those, get out and head home,” he said.

“I’d buy it online, but when it comes to bed sheets you want to feel what they’re like.”