Top tips on how to avoid the Christmas shopping rush

From extended trading hours to car park attendants, Southeast Queensland shopping centre officials share their tips on how Christmas shoppers can best navigate the busiest time of year.

Westfield Chermside is seeing a great number of car traffic with everyone trying to get last minute and normal shopping done before Christmas. Saturday 17th December 2022 Picture David Clark

From extended trading hours to car park attendants, Southeast Queensland shopping centres managers have shared their tips on how Christmas shoppers can best navigate the busiest time of year.

Michael Manwaring, centre manager of the Sunshine Plaza on Horton Parade, Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, encouraged shoppers to take advantage of longer opening hours in the lead up to Christmas as retailers prepared for their busiest season.
“We recommend people take advantage of extended trading hours, both early mornings ... as well as later evening trade,” he said.
“Sunshine Plaza is trading until midnight on Thursday ... plus (there’s) free parking after 6pm.”

Michael Manwaring, centre manager of the Sunshine Plaza on Horton Parade, Maroochydore, encouraged shoppers to take advantage of longer retail opening hours in the lead up to Christmas. Picture: Erle Levey

Kate Halpin, senior marketing manager for the Gold Coast’s Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, on Hooker Blvd in Broadbeach Waters, agreed flexible trading hours were a great part of Christmas season shopping.

“You can beat the rush earlier in the day, or even shop up until midnight on Thursday,” she said.

Scentre Group Regional Centre Experience Manager, Mark Shaw, said Westfield-branded shopping centres in southeast Queensland would also be open until 9pm Tuesday and Wednesday and until midnight on Thursday and Friday this week.

“We know it’s an incredibly busy time for everyone, so we’ve pulled out all the stops to make this festive season as convenient as possible,” he said.

The stress of shopping centre car parks can often be enough to drive patrons away but Pacific Fair and Sunshine Plaza have employed extra parking attendants to help alleviate the struggle.

Both Mr Shaw and Mr Manwaring said the retail centres had already recorded a surge in traffic and were expecting the increase to continue well past Boxing Day.

The Westfield Chermside shopping centre on Gympie Rd, Chermside in north Brisbane, is one of several shopping centres experiencing an increase in traffic as people try to get their Christmas shopping finished. Picture: David Clark

“Sunshine Plaza has 10 additional car park controllers onsite during the peak period to assist customers to over 4900 car parks,” Mr Manwaring said.

Ms Halpin said Pacific Fair shopping centre customers could avoid the Gold Coast traffic and parking hassles by instead using public transport or the shopping centre’s own free shuttle bus to get to and from the Gold Coast centre.

The Pacific Fair shuttle bus picks up customers as far north as Main Beach and as far south as Burleigh Heads daily between 9am-5.30pm.

“We also work with local council and various resources to assist with access to major roads surrounding the centre,” she said.

Regional General Manager DFOs, Michael Quinn, said staff members from DFO Brisbane, on 18th Ave, at the Brisbane airport, were working closely with Brisbane Airport Corporation officials to make it easier and safer for motorists to get to and from the direct factory outlet.

Mr Manwaring, who said additional customer service and cleaning personnel had also been employed at Sunshine Plaza, encouraged customers to be mindful as employees worked through their most intense time period.

The Gold Coast’s Pacific Fair shopping centre even has a free shuttle bus. Picture: pacificfair.com.au

“While it’s busy in the centre, it’s also time to acknowledge that our retailers are also busy and it’s a time to be respectful of those staff and fellow customers,” he said.

Ms Halpin also encouraged shoppers to be patient by embracing the season of goodwill, leading with kindness and being mindful of other shoppers who might be anxious or stressed.

“The team at Pacific Fair are here to help and support your shopping experience,” she said.

“Our centre staff, retail teams and parking ambassadors are working extended hours and are excited for the holidays as well, so we ask our shoppers to be patient.”

Mr Quinn said DFO Brisbane staff members were doing their best to ensure the best possible service and asked that customers be kind to them and to speak to them with respect at a time when tensions were often higher because of the large crowds.

“We’ve worked hard to communicate to our customers to plan ahead for their visit to our centre … our website has an interactive feature that uses real-time data that shows visitation numbers and forecasts,” he said.

“In addition, our teams are using heat-map technology to continually monitor the centre and the flow of customers, particularly in known busy times.”