Kiwi retailers cash in on ‘Star Wars Effect’

Kiwi retailers cash in on ‘Star Wars Effect’

Christmas sales surge by 400% for retailers stocking Star Wars memorabilia

Auckland, New Zealand - 16 December 2015 - The long-awaited Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in New Zealand cinemas this week, and retailers are cashing-in on the hype. Data from cloud-based point of sale company Vend shows that retailers selling Star Wars-related products and memorabilia have seen a 430% increase in December sales so far, compared to the same time last year.

Sales in these stores have been steadily increasing since November as shoppers rush to buy memorabilia in the lead-up to Christmas. To date the biggest day for Star Wars purchases has been 12 December.

"You don’t have to be the brightest lightsaber in the galaxy to know that Star Wars is pretty hot right now, but it’s great to see that its popularity is paying off for local retailers,” says Vaughan Rowsell, founder and CEO of Vend.

“Last year New Zealand saw record levels of Christmas spending across the country, and we’re coming off a pretty strong 2015 so it’s likely we’ll see another great season for retailers - and the Star Wars Effect is certainly helping. Now I’m just hoping there’ll be a Star Wars gift or two under the tree for me this year too.”

And apart from Star Wars collectables, what else might we find underneath the Christmas tree this year? Vend’s 2014 data showed the biggest sales uplift to be in furniture and homewares stores in December - 111% higher than the November average. This was followed closely by jewellery stores (110%) and toys and games stores (90%).

Perhaps the most surprising thing in the Vend Christmas data is that the biggest day for last minute gifts isn’t Christmas Eve, as urban legend would have it. No, it turns out it isn’t the day before Christmas that brings the most sales, it’s actually the day before that. Sales on 23 December were 40% higher than the rest of December and retail spending increased by 61%. However, sales on Christmas Eve declined by 26% compared to the December average.

“If you’re wanting to miss the crowds, get your shopping done as soon as possible, or at the very last possible minute, that’s the power of data. But if everything is sold out don’t blame us,” says Vaughan.
Vend is a leading retail management software company that powers hundreds of New Zealand retail stores, from large multi-outlets to owner-operated businesses, and is used by retailers in 140 countries around the world.

The Star Wars Effect
• 430% sales increase in stores selling Star Wars products
• 180% retail spending increase in stores selling Star Wars products
• 350% more Star Wars stock being held by stores

December retail sales increases by store:
1. Furniture and homewares - 111%
2. Jewellery - 110%
3. Toys and games - 90%
4. Electronics - 64%
5. Clothing - 53%
ENDS

About the data
Vend NZ customer transactional data from 1 November 2014 - 31 December 2014 and 1 November - 14 December 2015.

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