Fly Buys Sees Different Xmas Purchasing Picture

Fly Buys Sees Different Xmas Purchasing Picture

While retail forecasters say the pinch is on Kiwi pockets this Christmas, Fly Buys data based on the points collected by its Participant companies suggests that the slow down may be due to Kiwis getting better at avoiding the Christmas rush.

“While some reports say people are now closing their wallets, the data suggests that people are simply shopping differently by spreading their spending over the year,” says Fly Buys Head of Marketing Chris Lamers.

“As a result, the sales peaks at Christmas are becoming less pronounced each year.”

Three years ago the number of Fly Buys points collected in December was 37% higher than in November, whereas it is now around 25% higher.

However overall spending throughout 2007 has increased.

“There’s no doubt that people are being more careful about what they spend, but the data from
Fly Buys Participant companies suggests they are reacting by shopping smarter rather than necessarily less,” Mr Lamers says.

“Spreading their spending throughout the year could reflect better budgeting, and New Zealanders taking advantage of bonus specials and sales throughout the year.”

This appears to be supported by recent research on people’s Christmas shopping habits, conducted by Colmar Brunton on behalf of Fly Buys.

This showed that 91 percent of people planned to avoid the last minute panic and 24 percent are buying Christmas presents throughout the year.

It also revealed that no females would leave their Christmas shopping up to their partners and that Kiwis have increasing expectations - around one third of respondents had televisions and stereos at the top of their Christmas wish list.

ENDS

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