With Christmas right around the corner, some major retailers are pulling out all stops to offer a unique shopping experience.
In readiness for the buyer influx shopping hours have been extended in retail precincts across metro and regional areas.
In Melbourne CBD more than 1000 city shops have extended their retail hours, with QV Melbourne, The Strand Melbourne, Melbourne Central, Emporium Melbourne, H&M at Melbourne’s GPO, Myer and David Jones opting to trade to 9pm in the lead-up to Christmas and until midnight on 19 December, a first for the CBD.
"Retailers are changing their practices to accommodate their customers' needs and desires," Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says. "(It will) provide people with greater choice and flexibility about when and how they shop."
In eagerness to gain shoppers, stores are offering points of difference to entice people through their doors.
Bespoke gift tag creation and bell hop stations are on offer at Emporium Melbourne; David Jones says a personal gift guru will help you find the last-minute ideal gift; Melbourne Central has free gift wrapping and if you work or live in the CBD a fleet of elves are on hand to deliver Myer’s top gifts.
Here’s a few gift-giving ideas from some of our iconic retailers for him, for her and the young ones:
