Spending through electronic transaction company Paymark was up 8% nationally for October, from $4.21 billion a year ago to $4.55 billion, while Otago was up 6.9% to $233.5 million; in eighth place of the 17 regions covered.
In a separate survey yesterday, measuring consumer and business sentiment, ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie said households were still feeling better off financially, compared with a year ago, but optimism was lower overall.
''It's still considered a great time to buy a major household item, but the level of euphoria has been tamed somewhat,'' Mr Bagrie said.
While the ANZ Roy Morgan consumer confidence survey for November was at its lowest level in 14 months, it remained well above the long-term average.
Paymark head of sales and marketing Paul Whiston said there was a noticeable pick-up in goods and services spending, with building suppliers up 16.5%, furniture stores booking a 15.4% increase, appliance retailers up 10.3% and hardware and home decorating up 6.6%.
''At this stage spending through Paymark is showing the usual pattern, but with spending running around 7% above levels a year ago,'' he said.
Annual growth rates were highest in Southland (10.9%), Nelson (10.2%) and Bay of Plenty and Waikato (up 7.7% each), while spending was lowest in South Canterbury, Taranaki, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay in a respective range of
0.9% to 3.5%. With Christmas Eve falling on a Wednesday for the first time since 2008, Mr Whiston expected spending to be up 10% on any other day in December.
Mr Bagrie said the ANZ Roy Morgan survey showed households were still felt better off, with a net 4% of respondents more upbeat about their current position, BusinessDesk reported.
However, it was a drop froma net 9% in October, and a net 25% expecting to be better off in a year's time, compared with 32% a month ago.
Of the 1002 households surveyed by the ANZ, a net 22% expect good economic times in the next 12 months, up from a net 17% a month earlier and, looking five years ahead, a net 23% expect continuous good economic times, compared with a net 19% in October.
''People still thought it was a good time to buy a major household item, with a net 35% saying it was, down from a net 40% the previous month,'' Mr Bagrie said.
