City traders pin hopes on stragglers

ROBYN EDIE/Southland Times

THINGZ TO BUY: Wild Thingz, in the Cambridge Place Arcade in Invercargill, busy with Christmas shopper Lou Horo (left) and co-owners Bruce Thirkell and Angee Shand.

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Invercargill retailers are holding out for a last surge of Christmas spending after a dismal trading period last weekend.

With only three days left until Christmas, many retailers say the festival is here but it is very much on a budget.

Paymark figures released a week ago for the first two weeks of spending in Southland revealed shoppers had spent $42 million.

But retailers say with the final countdown under way for what is traditionally a good time for business, the effects of the recession could still be felt.

Skelts Jewellers owner Ashley Harris said business had been patchy throughout the month, but he was expecting a rush of last-minute shoppers during the week.

"We haven't had the panic shoppers yet.

"The biggest days are always the last few before Christmas," he said.

Mr Harris said his store wasn't too busy during the weekend, even though it had been the last chance to do some weekend shopping. Sales had been "pretty good" on Saturday, but Sunday had been quiet. Colder weather might have played a part in the lull.

Wild Thingz co-owners Angee Shand and Bruce Thirkell said this December had been slower than in previous years.

"We definitely won't be setting any records," Mr Thirkell said.

"I think it will definitely be a last-minute kind of thing, though," Ms Shand said.

A Little Bit Cheeky lingerie boutique owner Debbie Hall said last week's variable weather had interrupted an otherwise busy December.

Shoppers seemed to have done a lot of their Christmas shopping earlier, she said.

"The first two weeks of the month were abnormally busy, but then we had a really quiet week last week, so let's hope for these last four days," she said.

"There's always a bit of a lull before people go nuts," she said. "Here's hoping."

The purse strings might be tighter this Christmas, but people were still enjoying their shopping, Ms Shand said.

"It's not a great Christmas, but it is still Christmas."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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