26 Dec 2013

Boxing Day sales surge

11:40 pm on 26 December 2013

Retailers say the 2013 Boxing Day sales appear to have trumped those of 2012.

The electronic transactions company Paymark reported record sales rates on the Sunday and Monday leading up to Christmas Day and retailers are hopeful that splurge continued through Boxing Day.

Official figures for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day's sales won't be available until 27 December.

But a spokesperson for the Retailers' Association Barry Hellberg says many retail stores, many are confident this year's sales has exceeded last year's.

Mr Hellberg says rain in the main centres throughout the day led to many people avoiding parks and beaches and heading indoors to shop.

The Warehouse Group says that more than 750,000 customers visited its Warehouse and Noel Leeming stores on Boxing Day.

The New Zealand director for Dick Smith Electronics, Micah Gamman, says managers opened many stores early today at the sight of queues outside.

Dick Smith executives expect big shopping crowds to continue until at least Sunday