Christmas is two days away and the cash registers in the South are ringing as last-minute shoppers rush to buy presents.
Paymark figures released yesterday revealed in Otago, for the week up to Monday, 1.38million Paymark transactions, 7.6% more than the same period last year.
These equated to $74.4million, 6.9% more than last year.
For the same period in Southland, the 570,000 transactions were 4.9% more than last year, equating to $31.4million, 7.1% more than last year.
Paymark chief executive Mark Rushworth said Friday last week was the busiest day of the year for Paymark with $225.5million spent in New Zealand.
The national total from including Saturday and Sunday was $604.1million, with 11.8million transactions, a 3.8% increase on the same weekend last year.
That mark was expected to be smashed tomorrow, as Christmas Eve was the traditionally the day with the most spending. Leigh Odell (39) was shopping with her daughter Holly Mackenzie (4), both of Oamaru, in Dunedin yesterday.
Shoes featured heavily on her children's wish-list but she had splashed out on some water balloons.
Holly was looking forward to Christmas Day so she could unwrap her presents. She had opened one present early, a tent featuring Disney's Frozen characters.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan, of Dunedin, said shoppers had plenty of time to buy in the next two days with many Dunedin retailers staying open until 10pm or midnight.
The cruise ship passengers in Dunedin had also boosted retail sales in the city.
Mr McGowan said he had finished his Christmas shopping for his family including buying his wife a smartphone to replace her "old brick''.
Retail New Zealand spokesman Greg Harford said he expected "a bumper'' day of sales tomorrow.
"Christmas Eve is always the busiest day of the year.''
