Brisk trading in Chch

Press, 30 December 1980, Page 4

Brisk trading in Chch

Christchurch iShops .were busy yesterday 'after the Christmas holidaya&l'many shopkeepers were surprised at the brisk trading. - ■ Many customers came to retiim or exchange Christmas gifts, but there also many who made the most of clearance sales and the fine weather. People appeared fairly satisfied ’■ with their Christmas giftsBig' stores such as Whitcoulls, Woolworths, and v r . mers ar, d Haywrights had their share of returns, usually clothing, toys, and a few books. . ■ Clothing shops. had . more refunds : and exchanges to

make because the garments were the wrong size. • A spokesman for -the Facade fashion shop said that although many husbands had bought clothes for their wives, not as many of them had returned the goods as had been expected. She said that, over all, fewer refunds were made this year because customers had been in well before Christmas and had made considered selections rather than leaving it to the last minute. One city menswear store expected returns or exchanges to account for about 10 per cent of its sales, shirts the main item. Jewellery and shoe shops

had a few refunds or exchanges, usually because the jewellery or the shoes were the wrong size. Other shops , . said that faulty manufacturing , or packaging also played their part. ' ' ■■ - . . X-?

Record shops had a hectic day, many people using gift vouchers. Gift shops also did well and shopkeepers said that wives had brought their husbands to browse through shops or to buy birthday, wedding or thank cards. However, the main aspect of yesterday’s shopping was that there were not only more customers but that they, seemed to have more money to spend compared