Kiwi shoppers are planning to take advantage of Boxing Day deals, according to a survey conducted by Mastercard.

The study shows about a quarter of New Zealanders (27 per cent) are already planning to make additional purchases during the Boxing Day sales.

For Kiwis who don’t need to have gifts under the tree on Christmas Day, 17 per cent said they will defer their gift buying until after Christmas to get a better deal – a trend that has steadily increased over the last few years (14 per cent in 2017, 13 per cent in 2016 and 9% in 2015).

About 14 per cent of New Zealanders are planning to purchase large appliances on Boxing Day to take advantage of the huge discounts.

“Kiwis are planning ahead to take advantage of Boxing Day deals and make purchases they may have been eyeing up for some time,” said Ruth Riviere, country manager for Mastercard New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

“These annual sales are a great way to save some money on things that aren’t essential to have on Christmas Day.”

Nearly a third (30 per cent) of New Zealanders said they plan to look at online Boxing Day deals across NZ online retailers, international online retailers, and online auction websites.

However, despite the continued rise of online shopping, the majority of consumers (69 per cent) who intend to make Boxing Day purchases will do so at physical stores, many of which (29 per cent) will be at larger, big box retailers, Mastercard stated.

About 79 per cent of people said they will search online before purchasing in-store or online. More women than men will head straight in-store to browse the shops, with a quarter of women (26 per cent) saying they wouldn’t look online in advance, compared to 17 per cent of men.

“With so many stores having an online presence, the ability to shop around in advance has become easier for consumers, allowing people to make smart purchases leading up to and during the holidays,” Riviere said.

Half of Kiwis said they do not intend to make additional purchases after Christmas (59 per cent), but this number has steadily decreased from last year (63 per cent) and in 2016 (68 per cent).

A third of New Zealanders find Boxing Day sales convenient (32 per cent), but almost half (46 per cent) believe getting presents for Christmas Day is more important than getting a better price.