25 PER CENT. SHOPPING INCREASE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 85, 4 January 1935, Page 8

25 PER CENT. SHOPPING INCREASE

1 ♦ — Christmas in Wellington MORE CHEERFUL SPIRIT NOTICED The turnover at tho Christmas and New 'Year shopping season, recently closed, is generally considered to have been better than that for the previous year by 25 per cent. Approximately rhe same results were obtained by shopkeepers in all lines, according to inquiries made in Wellington yesterday. . . „ “It was an excellent Christmas, said the manager of a large city store. “The Friday before Christmas and Christmas Eve were thoroughly sati-s--facory shopping days.” Since then, lie added, the numbers of visitors in the city had been buying steadily, and the visit of the Orient liner Oronsay on Saturday morning last had provided a very distinct stimulus. On the whole the shopping season was noted for the different atmosphere and tone about it compared with the Christmastides of the depression years. Then people often bought grudgingly, but this holiday shopping season there was a much more cheerful spirit abroad. It was, in fact, the real Christmas atmosphere, and the decided improvement in trading conditions had extended over the last two months of the year. The manager of a large jewellery business placed the increase in his line for the Christmas season, as compared with the year before, at 25 per cent. The improvement had been most noticeable in December, but from August there had been a considerable jump up. Another large city business also placed the improvement in its turnover at 25 per cent. There had been a far more happy tone about the shopping, and it was noticeable that peop.e shopped earlier than they did last year. Utility lines were in greatest demand, demonstrating that although money was freer than the year before it was not being thrown about indiscriminately, This year the shops in Wellington did not keep a late night on'New Year's Eve as they did last year, closing at 5.30 p.m. on Monday and taking the one late night allowed per week tonight. Rather than cause a falling off in takings for New Year’s Eve this change seems to have increased the turnover. In fact one firm went so far as to report a 75 per-cent, increase in New Year’s Eve sales over the figures for the previous year. AUCKLAND SPENDING Demand For Better Quality Articles' Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 3. Business was resumed in the city after tho Christmas and New Year holidays. . For the most part the impression was that trade was better than usual after the holiday interval,, and shops generally were well patronised. Large firms have now had an opportunity to review in detail its results of thier trading over the holiday season, and can regard the position with .satisfaction. One house which does a widespread business throughout the province records an increase for December of 1:1 or 13 per cent, on the figures for the previous December. Its turnover had been increasing month by month all the year. A feature of its December shopping was- the demand for betterquality goods and for utility lines as distinct from fancy articles. A representative of this firm, attributed the position to the fact that during the last few years people have been learning to adjust their spending to their incomes. Luxuries have been abandoned and necessity has taught people to spend their money more wisely and effectively than they did at one time. For this reason the outlook for the immediate future was good 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111