Boxing Day shoppers strong in Wollongong for 2017

David Jones Wollongong threw open its doors at 7am, two hours before the rest of Crown Street stores, but only around one in seven shoppers had a shopping bag in their hand at 10am.

The number of bargain hunters in sight picked up as the day went on with Wollongong Central carparks filling to capacity, though shoppers were well behaved throughout the CBD.

Nowra residents Matilda Hancock and Hayleigh Bradley took an early train to avoid traffic and hit the shops by 9am. Both said the trip was worth it, each scoring at least a dozen discounted items between them.

“This dress was the best bargain, it was $15 down from $70,” Miss Bradley said pointing to the dress she was now wearing from Surf Dive‘n Ski.

Wollongong Central general manager Cameron Tynan said new retailers like TK Maxx and Mecca Maxima, plus the new David Jones store, would help draw more crowds than previous years.

“Today alone we’ll get well over 90,000 shoppers through the centre,” he said on Tuesday.

Mr Tynan said the trend to spend had “dipped” in recent years but believed it was on the rise again.

“We’re seeing more confidence in the market as interest rates stay low, people are more willing to spend on those nice-to-have items,” he said.

The businessman said most sales were targeted towards females though noted men were still part of the contingent but may be wiser about their purchasing decisions as opposed to impulse buys.

“I think the men have done their research prior and like to come in knowing they’ve got one or two specific things to buy - business shirts are always a hit on Boxing Day,” Mr Tynan said.

Drew Katis from Austinmer was shopping with friends and bought a new phone, shoes and two shirts but was quick to say the Boxing Day sales were just like the many other sales during the year.

Regardless, December 26 discounts still draw the biggest crowds with the Australian Retailers Association predicting $2.4 billion to be spent in the first 24 hours nationwide.

The ARA and Roy Morgan forecast Australian shoppers to hand over a total of $17.9 billion from December 26 until January 15 2018.

ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said while pre-Christmas sales were usually strong for retailers, Boxing Day was the pinnacle of retail trade globally with shops and e-tailers preparing months in advance.

“Our annual research with Roy Morgan has identified a 2.9 per cent increase in post-Christmas sales this year,” Mr Zimmerman said. “Due to the new deregulated trading hours in NSW, we predict NSW consumers to spend over $766 million.”