Card spending rises in November

New Zealanders used their credit and debit cards to spend more in November 2021 compared with October, particularly on furniture, electrical, and hardware, Stats NZ said today.

When adjusted for seasonal effects, total retail card spending rose by $543 million (9.6 percent), compared with October 2021.

"Card sales continue to rise in November, as COVID-19 alert levels eased for upper North Island, which allowed more non-essential retail businesses to open," business performance manager Ricky Ho said.

Within the retail spending category, durable goods rose the most in seasonally adjusted terms, up $331 million (22.9 percent) from last month. This industry includes furniture, electrical, hardware, department stores, and sports goods.

"The sharp increase in spending on furniture, electrical, and hardware coincided with Black Friday sales at the end of the month", Mr Ho said.

Over the year, spending on durables rose $207 million (11.4 percent) from November 2020, to reach the highest November month since the series began.

"Black Friday promotions appear to be more popular than ever, with Kiwis spending more on durable goods such as cell phones and laptops in the lead up to Christmas", Mr Ho said.

Groceries and liquor (consumables) was the only spending category that saw a decrease in card spending over the month, down $14 million (0.6 percent) from October 2021.

In actual terms, total electronic card spending was $8.4 billion, up 1.2 percent ($98 million) from the same time last year.

Values are only available at the national level and are not adjusted for price changes.