New Zealand's biggest mall was so overrun with Boxing Day shoppers that the cellphone signal in the area became overwhelmed.
Long queues of shoppers waited to get into clothing retailer H & M at Auckland's Sylvia Park Mall. Photo: RNZ / Veronica Schmidt
Thousands of people ignored the brilliant summer weather to brave Sylvia Park Mall in Auckland today, on the biggest shopping day of the year.
Last Boxing Day, more than $150 million was spent in Eftpos transactions alone.
Sylvia Park manager Lauren Riley said shoppers filled up the car park within the first hour of the mall opening.
"There are queues... It appears all the retailers are busy."
People waited in long queues outside clothing retailer H & M, which became the Swedish brand's first New Zealand outlet earlier this year.
There were queues for changing rooms at the majority of other stores in the mall.
Parking was so scarce that cars were being parked on nearby roundabouts, while shoppers were unable to use 3G on thei mobile phones as the signal was overwhelmed by the crowds.
Central Wellington was also humming by 10am, though one visiting Australian shopper was unimpressed.
"It's not crazy compared to Australia - there'd be 500 people here if we were at Bondi Junction," the woman told RNZ.
"This morning there were what, 12 people here? We couldn't believe it - I filmed it."