Christmas retail spend heating up

With just six trading days until Christmas, South Canterbury retailers are expecting a busy time after a slow start to December.

Figures from electronic transaction company Paymark show customers have spent more than $18.1 million in South Canterbury between December 8 and 14 – an increase of 2.8 per cent on last year.

This came after Paymark, which processes up to 75 per cent of New Zealand’s debit and credit card transactions, said spending between December 1 and 7 ‘‘was generally below year-ago levels’’.

Several business owners spoken to by Stuff reported a slow start to December sales.

After a dull November, business at Timaru store Kidstuff had started to gain momentum.

‘‘We had a very quiet November, the quietest since I opened the store 171⁄2 years ago,’’ owner Dorothy Tucker said.

‘‘This was probably due to the weather and its only really starting to pick up now.’’

Tucker said despite November being the quietest as far as customer numbers were concerned, her books reflected ‘‘it was not the worst sales wise’’.

She says Black Friday (on November 23) did have some impact on her figures in November.

Tucker remains optimistic this week will work out as she hoped it would.

‘‘There will be a last-minute rush for presents. People will support us because we’re a local store, and people do support local businesses.’’

Mac Shaw Clothing’s Grant Shaw agreed.

‘‘Trade stagnated in the first week of December,’’ Shaw said.

‘‘The pattern has been strange this year because of the weather and fear mongering about the dairy [industry]. But sales are good this week.’’

Shaw expects business in Timaru to ‘‘absolutely pick up’’ in the buildup to Christmas.

‘‘The weather is getting better. We have an excellent selection of stores,’’ he said.

‘‘On the 25th people will say: ‘What a wonderful December!’ ’’

Waimate’s Cameron’s Menswear had plenty of reason to be festive this season.

‘‘Business is amazing, better than previous years. We ran a 25 per cent off special on Black Friday and it worked very well, ‘‘ a store spokeswoman said.

‘‘I don’t think people realise that a little town like this is as busy as it is,’’ she said.

However, Paymark spokesperson Paul Brislen said a shift in spending patterns had contributed to the projection that annual growth would remain weak this month.

‘‘Black Friday sales appear to have brought spending forward,’’ Brislen said.

‘‘Typically, spending builds through the last two weeks of November and the first week of December, then ramps up rapidly in the last couple of weeks ahead of Christmas Day.’’

December is generally credit card season, he said.