Suburban Boxing Day sales a huge success, Premier Steven Marshall says
A jubilant Premier Steven Marshall has declared the first test of extended Boxing Day shopping hours a success, saying “the cash registers are ringing” and South Australians had voted with their feet.
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Premier Steven Marshall has declared the first test of extended Boxing Day shopping hours a success, saying “the cash registers are ringing” and South Australians had voted with their feet.
For the first time this year, stores in Adelaide’s suburbs could open for Boxing Day sales, while Rundle Mall opened two hours earlier than its normal 11am.
Marion
It was a slow start when doors opened at Westfield Marion at 9am, but by 11am the centre was busy, with electronic goods the most popular.
Crowds rushed to JB HiFi and EB Games, and stocked up on discounted Christmas decorations, manchester and homewares.
Many were also heading to airconditioned centres to escape the heat or go to the movies.
”We can see … people have come out in their thousands backing the Liberal Party’s plan for further deregulation of shop trading hours in South Australia,” Mr Marshall said, looking over the crowds at Marion.
“This is great for our economy.”
Burnside Village
By noon, fashionistas, families and bargain hunters were seen making the most of discounts, free wine and face-painting at Burnside Village.
The centre looked busy, but not chaotic. Most retailers chose to trade, offering 20-50 per cent discounts.
Friends Isabella Leach from Walkerville and Savannah Stouraitis from Auldana loved the free Bird in Hand wine tastings.
“It was so much fun,” Isabella said. “There were heaps of stuff on sale.”
“We went there just on a whim but it was a good couple of hours out,” Savannah said.
Treasurer Rob Lucas earlier this year controversially issued a special exemption which expands Boxing Day shopping beyond just the CBD, Glenelg and Harbour Town after Parliament rejected plans for wider reform that would apply on other public holidays as well as the weekends.
Mr Marshall rejected suggestions that the deregulation had been “sneaky”, saying Labor and the unions had put a handbrake on the South Australian economy.
“Labor are always whingeing,” he said. “The reality is that they didn’t support our legislation so we did what the people of South Australia voted us to do, that’s further deregulation of shop trading hours.”
Mr Marshall said longer shopping hours would encourage people to go out, rather than shop online.
“Online sales don’t make more jobs in South Australia,” he said.
Rundle Mall
Rundle Mall Management Authority general manager Johanna Williams flagged a fresh lobbying effort from the city retail strip if the Government looked at expanding the extended trading.
“We will continue to have our conversations with the State Government into the new year … today is about the bargains not the politics,” she said.
Ms Williams said the Mall was going to track the impact of the expanded trading throughout the day, but still believed the traditional home of Boxing Day shopping in SA would have a “huge day” with its flagship department stores already reporting a busy morning.
“It will still be a big day,” she said.
“We have had two extra houses of shopping here in the Mall and queues since 8am with people trying to get those bargains.”
Retailers
The Australian Retailers Association says the move will result in an “exponential” growth in sales for local stores.
“As a result of the newly-deregulated trading hours in SA, we predict South Australians to spend roughly $133 million,” ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said.
SA’s independent retailers say the changes will benefit the large multinationals to the detriment of small traders.
“Treasurer Rob Lucas is playing politics at the expense of South Australia’s largest employer, small business, by extending trading to the large retail chains for the first time,” SA Independent Retailers spokesman Colin Shearing said.
“The stop deregulation campaign is calling on the state Liberal government to stop the relentless attack on small family businesses, suppliers and farmers.”
Before this year only stores in Adelaide CBD were allowed to trade on Boxing Day.
However, some shops in the suburbs could open, depending on their size and the products they sold.
It’s those stores that are expected to lose out with the regulatory changes. The Government has maintained its proposed deregulation of all trading hours will boost jobs, and says no stores will be forced to open.
The legislation also proposed to allow staff the choice of working on Boxing Day and other public holidays or not.
The shoppers
At Marion, Jane Cowan and Loren Phillpotts were stocking up for next Christmas with discounted decorations.
What brought them out?
“Half price,” Ms Cowan said. “Even if you don’t want anything, you will find something to buy.
“If you come to have a look, you are more likely to buy it.”
The friends were taking advantage of the car park to pop out and store purchases in the car.
with Valerina Changarathil
BARGAINS ON OFFER TODAY
MYER
■ Up to 50 per cent off selected women’s clothing from brands including Cue, Veronika Maine, Sportscraft, Marcs, David Lawrence, Taking Shape, Seed and French Connection.
■ Up to 50 per cent off selected women’s footwear.
■ Up to 50 per cent off selected handbags, jewellery and women’s wallets
■ 40 per cent off the original price of Revlon.
■ Up to 50 per cent off a range of children’s clothing.
■ 30 per cent off business shirts from brands including Blaq, Van Heusen Slim and Calvin Klein.
■ Up to 50 per cent off menswear by Kenji, Blaq, Trent Nathan and Reserve.
■ 40 per cent off a great range of towels from brands including Vue, Australian House & Garden, Heritage and Sheridan.
■ Up to 70 per cent off cooksets by Tefal, Circulon, Jamie Oliver Tefal, Essteele and Anolon.
■ Up to 60 per cent off small electrical appliances from brands including Nutribullet, Breville, Kenwood and Sunbeam.
■ Up to 70 per cent off luggage from Samsonite, Antler, American Tourister and Monsac.
■ Up to 50 per cent off selected bed linen from brands including Vue, Australian House & Garden, Heritage and Sheridan.
■ 50 per cent off a great range of dinnerware
■ Boxing Day only: 20 per cent off MAC, 30 per cent off all children’s shoes and 50 per cent off manchester, cookware and dinnerware.
DAVID JONES
■ Up to 50 per cent off a range of Australian designers from Aje, Camilla and Marc, Thurley, KitX, Rebecca Vallance, Trelise Cooper and more.
■ 30 per cent off a great range of apparel from Jump, Kachel, Ping Pong, Yarra Trail, Yarra Women, Hammock and Vine and more.
■ 30 per cent off swimwear from Sunseeker, Milea, Zimmermann, Togs, Jantzen and more.
■ 30 per cent off a great range of full-priced intimate apparel from Calvin Klein, Berlei, Triumph, Jockey, Tommy Hilfiger and more.
■ 50 per cent off the original price of selected men’s Calvin Klein two-pack and three-pack
underwear.
■ 50 per cent off a range of men’s apparel from G-Star, Tommy Hilfiger, Superdry, Ted Baker, Diesel and more.
Suits from $299 including men’s suits by Joe Black, Ted Baker, Geoffrey Beene and Studio Italia.
■ Business shirts from $29 including men’s business shirts by Van Heusen, Geoffrey Beene, Calvin Klein, Abelard and Hardy Aimes.
■ 30 per cent off all full-priced childrenswear from Indie Kids by Industrie, Bebe, Rookie by Academy, Marlo and more.
■ 20 per cent off all full-priced toys from Lego, B Toys, Microscooters, Barbie, board
games, Jellycat, Skip Hop and more.
■ 30 per cent off selected items from MAC.
■ Save 50 per cent on loose cookware from Anolon and Jamie Oliver by Tefal.
■ Up to 50 per cent off the RRP on a range of coffee machines from Nespresso.
HARRIS SCARFE
■ 50 per cent off all homewares and manchester.
■ 40 per cent off all clothing, bras, footwear, sporting, sleepwear and underwear
25 per cent off all electrical.
■ Doorbuster Deals (Available for the first two hours of trade in-store only): Tontine 2pk I Need An Everyday Pillow $7.95, Phase 2 1500 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set Queen Bed, $69.95
WHAT’S OPEN TODAY
■ WESTFIELD CENTRES (Marion, Tea Tree Plaza and West Lakes): 9am-5pm
■ RUNDLE MALL: 9am-5pm
■ BURNSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE: 9am-5pm
■ HARBOUR TOWN ADELAIDE, WEST BEACH: 9am-5pm
■ ARMADA ARNDALE, KILKENNY: 9am-5pm
■ COLONNADES SHOPPING CENTRE, NOARLUNGA CENTRE: 9am-5pm
■ ELIZABETH CITY CENTRE: 9am-5pm
■ MUNNO PARA SHOPPING CITY, SMITHFIELD: 9am-5pm (Kmart, Coles and Foodland)
■ GOLDEN GROVE VILLAGE: 9am-5.30pm
■ CASTLE PLAZA, EDWARDSTOWN: 9am-5pm
■ JETTY RD, GLENELG: 9am-5pm
*Check store websites for trading hours; some retailers especially within suburban centres may have chosen not to trade.
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