Boxing Day boom for retailers

After a strong shopping period in the lead-up to Christmas, retailers enjoyed another boom yesterday with Boxing Day spending up more than 13 per cent on last year.

Paymark, which processes about 75 per cent of all electronic transactions, released figures today that showed more than two million transactions and $120 million in sales - up $14.2m up from a year ago.

The company's head of sales and marketing Paul Whiston said the strong Boxing Day numbers were a fantastic finish to a positive month of spending, and a return to the kinds of growth seen before the global financial crisis.

"This is the first time in five years that we've seen double-digit growth and we're rapt for retailers.

"It's also great to see that some of the sectors, which have been lagging of late, experienced a real boost on Boxing Day. And the queues and traffic outside the malls around the country yesterday, were anecdotal evidence of this."

There was significant growth in the electronics sector including computers and phones, with sales up 31.7 per cent annually.

There was also strong growth in clothing and apparel, and jewellery, up 20.7 per cent and 24.4 per cent respectively.

"Department stores saw an increase of 22.4 per cent, likely to be a reflection of the many great deals on offer for shoppers during the Boxing Day sales," Mr Whiston said.

Gisborne took the gold for the highest spending growth in the regions, up 22.9 per cent annually.

"All of the regions saw good growth on Boxing Day but the smaller regions in particular have faired extremely well, with Palmerston North up 18.3 per cent and Taranaki/Taupo up 18.2 per cent - just behind Gisborne," Mr Whiston said.

Regional Data Boxing Day, 2012 versus 2011

Value of spending ($ millions)

Region, Last Year, Current Year, Annual Change, Value Difference

Auckland/Northland $43.5, $49.5, $6.0, 13.8%

Waikato $7.9, $9.2, $1.3, 16.8%

Gisborne $1.1, $1.3, $0.2, 22.9%

Taranaki/Taupo $2.3, $2.8, $0.4, 18.2%

Hawkes Bay $2.8, $3.1, $0.4, 12.9%

Wanganui $1.1, $1.2, $0.1, 10.0%

Palmerston North $2.9, $3.5, $0.5, 18.3%

Wairarapa $0.9, $1.0, $0.1, 16.4%

Wellington $9.6, $10.7, $1.2, 12.3%

Nelson $2.2, $2.5, $0.3, 13.4%

Marlborough $1.4, $1.5, $0.1, 7.5%

West Coast $0.9, $0.9, $0.1, 9.7%

Canterbury $10.7, $12.1, $1.4, 13.1%

South Canterbury $1.8, $2.0, $0.2, 10.3%

Otago $6.2, $7.0, $0.9, 13.8%

Southland $2.8, $3.0, $0.2, 7.9%

New Zealand $105.8, $120.0, $14.2, 13.4%