For the first time in six years, Christmas Day will fall on a Sunday, which will give consumers a full week to do their shopping.
The Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) Christmas Index shows that $7.6 billion in sales will flow through the checkout this week.
Similarly, a survey by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) indicates that over half of surveyed Australians will finalise their Christmas shopping between the 19 and 24 December.
ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said around 50 per cent planning to finish their shopping during this next week.
“This is a crucial week for retailers, who will have all hands on deck to offer crowds of customers product advice, suggestions and of course run the final sale through the till,” he said.
“If people do prefer to shop at their suburban shopping centre, one way to avoid the crowds is to check the extended trading hours and organise their trip accordingly.
“There are many centres trading until midday on some days this week, and some will be trading non-stop in the last couple of days before Christmas. The Christmas spirit of both retailers and consumers has been buoyed by the recent December interest rate cut, which will hopefully translate to an increase in overall sales for the festive season.”