Tauranga retailers are upbeat about the lead-up to Christmas just days after Bay of Plenty shoppers spent more than $11 million over three days of Black Friday sales.

Data from electronic payment provider Worldline New Zealand shows core retail merchant spending for the region was $11.4m over the three-day Black Friday weekend (Friday to Sunday) - down 2.5% from last year.

Nationally, people spent $175.6m. The figures did not include hospitality, food or liquor.

Worldline NZ chief sales officer Bruce Proffit said Black Friday was “clearly a big deal for retailers this year”.

However, there were mixed spending patterns across the country - a reminder that budgets were still tight, he said.

Profitt said there were big increases in some regions - including Gisborne (up 18.8%) and Hawke’s Bay (up 10.8%) but declines in Auckland/Northland (down 1.5%) and Canterbury (down 1.3%).

Mount Maunganui retailers

Bayfair Shopping Centre manager Steve Ellingford said Black Friday “once again lived up to its reputation as one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year”.

“There were plenty of happy customers indulging in bargains, with visitation numbers recording double-digit growth compared to the previous year.”

Mount Business Association destination manager Michael Clark said Mount Mainstreet was a “boutique shopping destination”, with many family-run businesses.

“We cannot compete with multinationals ... to bring people and some of our members experienced a quieter period during Black Friday sales, despite many having attractive promotions running.

‘’We would love to see more people supporting our locally-owned and run businesses during these hyped-up sales periods.”

Summer at the Mount was “a vibe unlike any other in New Zealand”.

Mount Mainstreet businesses reported spending was “still tighter than last year” but was picking up as it got closer to the Christmas holiday period.

“Winter was tough for so many, but we’re seeing more people enjoying our coastal village, which naturally means more money being spent in our amazing stores.”

Clark said Mount Mainstreet was “on track to have a very busy summer”.

Downtown Tauranga

Downtown Tauranga chairman and Tranquillo Beauty Clinic co-owner John Dewes-Hodgson. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Downtown Tauranga chairman John Dewes-Hodgson said Black Friday sales promotions were left up to individual retailers. However, it was hard for small retail stores to compete with larger retail businesses.

Dewes-Hodgson said plenty of people were on the streets in downtown Tauranga in the lead-up to Christmas, the city centre was looking great with a huge Christmas tree in the newly-reopened Masonic Park, and Santa’s Grotto in Devonport Rd helped attract more visitors.

“It’s certainly not boom time but with major banks dropping their home loan interest rates, there’s a lot more confidence among our retailers that some of those savings could flow through.”

He said most downtown retailers had confirmed they intended to remain open over the Christmas holiday period apart from some statutory days.

Dewes-Hodgson said there was a “massive response” last Sunday to Downtown Tauranga’s Santa’s Grotto opening at 41 Devonport Rd, and Santa would be visiting again on Saturday from 10am to 3pm, with several further visits up to December 22.

The new destination playground on Tauranga’s city centre waterfront will be officially opened on December 14 with plenty of whānau fun activities for children.

Some of the wide range of stock at The Christmas Heirloom Company's Tauranga store. Photo / Lorraine Hayman

Lorraine Hayman, franchise owner of The Christmas Heirloom Company store in Grey St, said there had been an ‘‘overwhelming response’' from shoppers since she opened this season on October 12.

Hayman said she had about 20 to 25% of her stock left and the store would be open until Christmas Eve.

Sharon White is a regular shopper at The Christmas Heirloom Company in Grey St. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Customer Sharon White said she “loved” visiting the store.

“I’m always excited to check out Lorraine’s new range of spectacular decorations, and it always gives me great ideas, and a huge boost after a stressful year.”

Chuffed Gifts store manager Alex Howard.

Alex Howard, manager of the Chuffed Gifts store in Tauranga, said the business was a “premier gift store”.

It offered buyers the chance to select from more than 600 adventures and other activities nationwide including visits to relaxing retreats, gourmet indulgences and outdoor-thrilling adventures.

“We’re run off our feet. According to our latest figures, we were about 400% up in sales as of December 5 compared to the previous week.”

Bethlehem shopping centre

Bethlehem Town Centre manager Laurent Todd said the centre served as a “year-round destination” for shoppers and hospitality patrons from the area.

“Our retailers typically don’t rely on Black Friday or Cyber Monday flash sales to boost their takings. However, we are observing the usual uptick in visitors as we approach the [Christmas] holiday season.”

Despite the ongoing economic challenges this year, the centre “continued to perform well”, she said.

Todd said the increase in visitors to the centre was consistent with previous years leading into Christmas.

“To support this, we offer a diverse range of retail options and over 1000 free parking spaces alongside seasonal events like our Christmas tree lighting, Christmas markets, and visits to Bethlehem Town Centre’s popular Santa.”

Greerton Village Association chairwoman Rebecca Busby. Photo / Rebecca Busby

Greerton Village shopping centre

Greerton Village Association chairwoman Rebecca Busby said Black Friday was not a major focus for Greerton Village retailers.

“Instead, this December, we’re turning our attention to supporting local retailers and fostering a sense of community with a three-part festive promotion designed to spread cheer, encourage shopping locally, and give our retailers opportunities to shine.”

Like other retail centres across the country, Greerton Village retailers experienced the “same peaks and troughs” in sales throughout the year, she said.

“The recent closure of Countdown was unexpected, we are encouraged by the swift reinvestment in the site by FreshChoice owners. This not only highlights confidence in the local economy, it also signals a positive outlook for the area.”

Busby said Greerton Village was “the place to be for shopping, surprises and Christmas spirit”, including the association’s Random Acts of Christmas promotion and the chance for lucky shoppers to win three cash prizes.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.