Black Friday splurge: how much did kiwis spend this year

Nationwide retail spending increased 22.7 percent on Black Friday and the three days after, outpacing spending achieved during the flash sales event a week earlier.

This increase in spending was seen across all major retail categories, excluding food, spirits and hospitality, according to new figures released today by Paymark.

Last year, Kiwis spent $ 650 million during the Black Friday weekend, not including Cyber ​​Monday. Paymark said spending increased 3.9 percent this year, albeit over a four-day period, including Monday, but was unable to confirm total spending for 2020.

Paymark is now owned by the Paris-based Ingenico Group and cannot share the total figures.

The spike in spending occurred across New Zealand over the four-day Black Friday weekend, but data shows not as much as last year, in some regions.

Notably, spending in Palmerston North, Marlborough, West Coast, South Canterbury and Otago was below year-ago levels, Paymark said.

The annual growth rate was highest in Nelson and Wellington.

Paymark said that Cyber ​​Monday, the Monday following the Black Friday weekend, completed the four weeks of spending in November, considered the start of the holiday shopping period for many.

National spending in the month increased 3% through Paymark, which represents 75% of electronic transactions in the country.

During the same four weeks, spending at food and liquor merchants increased 6.2%. However, spending decreased 0.8 percent through food and beverage service merchants, 37.2 percent through lodging merchants and 10.2 percent through non-merchant merchants. retailers.

While spending at major retailers increased in the month, Paymark noted that the “economy remains mixed.”