BARGAIN HUNTERS
IT WAS a ‘perfect storm’ for retailers with wet weather sending Boxing Day crowds to the indoor comfort of shopping centres as bargain hunters tackled the post-Christmas sales.
With more wet weather on the way and retailers in the mood to offer discounts, it is set to be another busy day at the checkouts today.
Bentley Park residents Nikita and Darryn Born were among the Far North crowds looking for a bargain.
The couple visited shopping centres Cairns Central and Stockland at Earlville yesterday.
Ms Born said both centres were buzzing with activity.
“It was really busy,” she said after picking up some good deals.
“We bought some clothes, kitchenware and linen,” she said.
Other popular items included televisions, computers, coffee machines and white goods.
For the couple, getting a park was surprisingly easy despite the day being busy.
“We were pretty lucky,” Ms Born said. “When we went to Earlville, we drove upstairs and we found a park pretty much right away.”
A Stockland Cairns spokeswoman said the centre experienced the “strongest patronage” for this year’s holiday shopping period.
“Christmas and Boxing Day shopping is as much a part of the December calendar as it has ever been,” she said.
According to an internal survey conducted by the shopping centre company, 81 per cent of respondents said they will continue to purchase gifts in person at a store rather than shopping for deals online.
“We’re hoping for a strong Boxing Day turnout this year at Stockland Cairns,” she said.
The National Retail Association said Queenslanders were set to spend $441 million on Boxing Day alone – a five per cent increase on last year.
However for Ms Born, she preferred the pre-Christmas Black Friday sales last month because of the large number of people who visited shopping centres yesterday.
“I can (browse for bargains) in the comfort of my own home,” she said.