The countdown to Christmas has begun and if November spending figures in the Bay of Plenty are anything to go by, the Christmas season could be a bumper year for the region's retailers.
The Bay of Plenty was among the fastest growing regions for retail spending in November according eftpos company Paymark with a 3.4 per cent rise.

Large areas such as Auckland/Northland and Wellington recorded a rise of one per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively.
Paymark CEO Simon Tong says there is no doubt that 2009 has been one of the toughest years since eftpos transactions began and while the situation remains very mixed there are some encouraging signs starting to come through.
'One of these hints lies in spending growth bias which is shifting from supermarkets to more discretionary spending outlets such as appliances and white-ware stores,” says Simon.