Shoppers will take every opportunity to get one last gift today, according to projections from the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) and GE Capital Christmas Retail Index.
The report shows almost 7% of Aussies will finish their shopping on Christmas Eve, but the anticipated spend suggested numbers of last minute shoppers would be higher.
“This year with Christmas on a weekday the week long countdown until the shops close hasn’t happened,” says ANRA CEO Margy Osmond.
“It’s given some people a false sense of security about how much time was left before Santa starts making his rounds.”
“New South Wales and Western Australian residents will be spending the most in the shops today (at least $321million and $210million respectively) – 11% of WA residents surveyed expected to finish their shopping on Christmas Eve, rivaled only by Tasmania where 16% of the population will be nipping down to the shops to buy one last gift.
“Most of us have done the bulk of our shopping by today, though, with purchases expected to set us back around $93 per head today, indicating one or two last minute stocking fillers rather than a rush to get all the family and friends a gift.
“West Australians will be spending about $88 per person today, twice as much as Queenslanders and three times that of Victorians who are so well organised only 4% expect to complete their shopping at the very last,” Mrs Osmond said.
Retailers are predicting about $32bn in sales over the Christmas period, a 4% increase in December retail sales.
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