TOOWOOMBA shoppers did their fair share of spending in the billion dollar Boxing Day sales.
The Australian Retailers Association predicted Boxing Day spending to reach a total of $2.072 billion in Australia, an increase of $72 million on last year.
The huge turn-out to the sales forced the temporary closure of the Grand Central Shopping Centre car park as it reached capacity mid-morning yesterday.
They were re-opened again shortly after. Traffic controllers and police assisted the traffic flow in and around Grand Central at the time.
Traffic backs up around Grand Central shopping centre as Boxing Day sales bring shoppers out for a bargain. Kevin Farmer
Centre manager Shaine Beveridge said shoppers were eager to embrace the post-Christmas sales with "steady" crowds keen to take advantage of the fantastic range of discounts on offer at Grand Central.
"The sale period in the lead up to Christmas was a big success and early indications from our retailers show that this year's post-Christmas sales are as popular as ever," he said.
Joanne and Francesca Munchow were among those shoppers sweating it out at Myer and said they were happy they got in early and could return to the working air-conditioning at home.
Myer Toowoomba store manager Donna Green said one million people would walk through the doors of Myer stores across Australia on the biggest trade day of the year.
"By the end of the sales (January 26), we will see 17 billion people in Myer," she said.
She said departments most popular with customers included home wares, menswear and womenswear across all of ladies fashion as well as people getting in early for Christmas next year.
Brenton Day and Gemma Wode are pleased with their coffee machine purchase from Harvey Norman during the Boxing Day sales. Kevin Farmer
NOT EVERYONE WAS AT THE SHOPS...
THE Chronicle asked online readers what they were doing on Boxing Day and many posted photos of the beach, their lounge-rooms and the cricket on TV.
- Mick Jarroush: Enjoying a beer watching the cricket.
- Casey Wicks: Laying down watching The Big Bang Theory...Who would want to be at Boxing Day sales?
- Vickie Brown: No parking issues here in Beerwah.
- Michele Fowler: At home watching cricket and the yachts.
- Scott Chaffey: Better things to do, than to go shopping.
- Margaret Hogbin: I don't do Boxing Day sales. Aren't there enough sales throughout the year?
- Tanja Dieckmann: I wouldn't put myself through that if they were giving the stuff away for free.
- Pat Turner: Boxing Day sale what Boxing Day sale?
- Shannon Blanch: Got a great park and in air con. My lounge room is awesome.
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