Consumer NZ shares its three top tips to arm bargain hunters with a winning strategy when they hit the shops this Boxing Day.
“When you’re on the hunt for the best possible deal, you need to watch out for those less-than-genuine bargains,” says Jessica Walker, campaigns manager at Consumer.
“You need a plan to shield you from the hype and protect you from buying a dud.”
1. Come up with a game plan
Boxing Day is another massive marketing opportunity for businesses to persuade shoppers to part with their dollars.
To avoid a buy-now-regret-later situation, shoppers should separate their wants from their needs and set a budget before hitting the shops.
“Our advice is don’t buy something unless you really need or want it. While the pull of the last sale of 2025 could be strong, the first sale of 2026 is probably less than a week away,” says Walker.
“Keep in mind that the Consumer Guarantees Act does not allow shoppers to get a refund simply because they change their mind about a purchase.”
2. Know the rules of the game
“No refunds” or “no exchanges on sale items” signs are likely to be misleading. If something you buy is faulty or not up to standard, the Consumer Guarantees Act gives you the right to a replacement or a refund.
You don’t need the original packaging to return a faulty item either.
“If one of your boxing day purchases is faulty, the retailer must put things right. You don’t need the original packaging to return the product.”
Walker also urges shoppers to resist the pressure to fork out for extended warranties – you're already covered under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
If you’re shopping online, watch out for 'dark patterns', too. Consumer's research into digital designs that are intended to influence and manipulate online consumer behavior has found they waste our money and time. One-third of New Zealanders said they had spent more money than they intended because of a dark pattern.
“Don’t believe ‘only three left!’ claims, or countdown timers.
These tactics play on our FOMO [fear of missing out] and effectively encourage us to spend more, and quickly.”
3. Play the long game
“While sales can be exciting, we recommend waiting for the thing you really want to go down in price, rather than just choosing the product with the biggest saving on Boxing Day,” says Walker.
Consumer’s product tests frequently show that top price doesn’t always mean top quality.
“A big discount, doesn’t necessarily mean a good deal.”
Do your research to check whether the sale price really is better than the normal selling price – and check it’s not cheaper somewhere else. You can check the price options on priceme.co.nz and pricespy.co.nz. This is an easy way to see if the ‘sale’ price is a genuine bargain.
Finally, sweep your wallet and drawers for any unused gift cards before hitting the sales.
“One in five gift card holders end up with expired cards, and Consumer estimates over $10 million is wasted on unredeemed gift cards every year. So, if you have got credit on a gift card, we recommend you ‘use it or lose it’ this Boxing Day.”
About Consumer
Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.