Christopher S. Nelson 
Australians indulge in post-Christmas retail therapy as they hit Boxing Day sales online and in-store.
Masks, rising COVID numbers and Omicron uncertainty haven’t put off bargain hunters nationwide expected to spend $ 2.9 billion in stores and an additional $ 1.2 billion online .
The National Retail Association says it hasn’t seen numbers like this in 11 years.
He expects the driving force to be pent-up demand from stranded consumers for much of the year.
NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said buying trends reflected how Australians are getting back to normal life.
She said clothes, shoes, jewelry and personal items were popular purchases as people ditch the comfy loungewear bought to stay at home.
But housewares were still in fashion, indicating Australians were still “preparing the nest” in case there was another lockdown, she said.
As state governments consider mandating a third dose of the vaccine, retailers are asking for more certainty.
Ms Lamb said business owners and consumers were confused about advice on the effect of the Omicron variant and the changing rules.
“Consistency is always the best for us,” she said.
“At the end of the day, we have to follow the science and we hope this issue will not be politicized.”
But not all of the statistics are funny as research shows 56% of workers have suffered abuse during the pandemic.
The Retail Workers Union wants shoppers to remember their masks and their manners.
“We know that shopping malls can get very busy and the pressure can build up as people look for a bargain, but that’s no excuse to take away these frustrations from workers,” said the national secretary of the city. SDA, Gerard Dwyer.
“Pay close attention to popular post-Christmas sales. Remember, they often last more than a day.”
Associated Australian Press
