BOXING DAY CAR-MAGEDDON
GOLD Coast shopping centres such as Harbour Town at Biggera Waters defied the mixed Boxing Day sale results felt across Australia yesterday with cars parked on grass verges. Those trying to escape the bargain bonanza were trapped in kilometres of traffic.
HORDES of bargain hunters have stormed Gold Coast shopping centres during the biggest day of the year for many retailers.
There were reports of reduced spending across the country in the lead-up to Christmas, but many Coast shopping centres appeared busier than normal yesterday for Boxing Day.
Harbour Town was likely the most popular location for post-Christmas retail therapy.
The car park at the Biggera Waters shopping centre was bedlam yesterday as shoppers flooded the outdoor centre and took to parking throughout nearby streets.
A Bulletin reporter spent more than two hours travelling less than a kilometre in gridlocked traffic in the car park, giving up after two-anda-half hours.
Eager shoppers arrived with cash in their pockets before the sun rose.
More than 150 people lined up outside Pacific Fair streetwear store Culture Kings.
Jacob Salerno and his mate Kye Ramsden, both aged 14, were first through the doors at 6am and said they arrived at the centre at 2am.
“We sat in our car for a few hours but then we lined up about 5am,” Jacob said.
“I just want a shirt or some thing,” Kye said.
High-roller Brandon Hoang, 19, had plenty of cash in his pockets and planned to spend the day hitting up stores inside Pacific Fair.
“I’ve come down from Brisbane for the sale,” he said.
“I won’t be just shopping here (Culture Kings) though. I have about $4000 to spend.”
Cousins from Brisbane Maddi Cronan, 22, and Keely Cronan, 17, were staying on the Coast over the Christmas break and had a game plan before entering the fray.
“(Our shopping tactic) is just grab anything you see even if you’re unsure and then you can filter through what you want,” Maddi said.
Keely agreed, adding they: “See what we like and just getting as much as we can. Try it on in store before Boxing Day so you know what sizes you are and you don’t have to line up for a change room.”
Robina Town Centre general manager Kathleen Hart and Pacific Fair general manager Shaine Beveridge estimated “tens of thousands” of people had walked through their doors, rivalling only Black Friday.
Stores including EB Games, David Jones, JB Hi-Fi, Harrolds, Kookai, Lush, Myer and Pandora boasted a roaring trade and had line-ups out the door.
Mr Beveridge said Pacific Fair had been “buzzing all day”.
“We are seeing growth year-on-year for Boxing Day as Australia’s biggest shopping day and with stores still offering exclusive one-day-only discounts we don’t expect this to change,” he said.
“Our expectation is to always increase sales year-onyear.”
Harbour Town marketing manager Rebecca Stevenson said the shopping centre was “chock-a-block” and likely busier than last year.
Shoppers were lining up before the doors opened at Adidas, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and a range of other outlet stores.
Extra security staff were on hand, but shoppers were well behaved during “the biggest retail day of the year”.
“Parking has definitely been at a premium today and people have been swamping the centre to get their hands on the best of the Boxing Day sales,” Ms Stevenson said.
“We have had quite a few stores reporting crowds lining up before they opened.
IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A BUMPER DAY OF TRADE ACROSS THE GOLD COAST
HARBOUR TOWN MARKETING MANAGER REBECCA STEVENSON
“It seems to have been a bumper day of trade across the Gold Coast.”
Market researcher Roy Morgan predicted Australians would spend $18.72 billion across retail stores during the post-Christmas trading period, an increase of 2.3 per cent from a year ago.
The National Retail Association expected shoppers would spend a record $2.6 billion across the country on Boxing Day, including $441 million in Queensland.