Would you like to have extended trading hours in your state?

Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:33
Last edited 02/08/2023 - 14:36

Keen to get OzBargain's thoughts on this. As someone who's lived in NSW and VIC I was pretty shocked to see that only Thursdays in Sydney had extended trading hours considering Sydney is one of our most populous states. For reference in Melbourne we have extended trading hours on Thursdays and Fridays to 9 pm, and Chadstone is open until 9 pm on Saturdays.

I'm of the belief that extended trading hours simply makes life more convenient because it gives you more options (especially if you work an office 9-5 kind of job). For example:

  • If you have an event on Saturday at 12 pm and need to obtain something for that event, instead of being forced to either go on Thursday night (i.e. the late night shopping night) or Saturday morning, you have the option of also going on Friday night.
  • If you're working on a project on a Saturday evening and you realise you need something for it, you can head out to the shops instead of waiting until the next day.
  • It's a nice Friday in the summer, you decide you want to wash your car after work but when you get home you realise that you need more car shampoo, you can quickly duck out to Supercheap Auto to grab some.
  • When I was in Melbourne for work, I needed a suit jacket last minute and was able to buy one at around 6:15 pm on a Wednesday night.

I'm sure there have been studies on the ROI of having extended trading hours, I haven't read any but feel free to inform me on the details. After a quick Google I've found this simple document from a 2005 WA referendum on it although it seems to be very pro-extended hours and doesn't address the cons (and the referendum didn't pass).

So what are your thoughts on having extended trading hours in your state? Would you like extended trading hours even if it's just Thursday and Friday nights?

Note: I didn't bother including VIC in the poll since we already have it pretty good IMO.

Poll Options expired

  • 4
    ACT - Yes
  • 1
    ACT - No
  • 58
    NSW - Yes
  • 7
    NSW - No
  • 1
    NT - Yes
  • 1
    NT - No
  • 21
    QLD - Yes
  • 10
    QLD - No
  • 8
    SA - Yes
  • 4
    SA - No
  • 2
    TAS - Yes
  • 2
    TAS - No
  • 21
    WA - Yes
  • 4
    WA - No
General Discussion

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 14:36
    +1

    as a simple queenslander, pretty much everything is a ghost town after 6.30… so wrt ROI , prob would be taking a hit surely especially with penalty rates and low sales.
    sometimes i'll go to the local westfield kmart on a weekday other than Thursday, after 7 and enjoy seeing maybe 2-3 other people, plus night fill staff. zen.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:42
      +4

      Is everything a ghost town because the expectation is that shops won't be open though? If shops were open later, wouldn't it be possible that people would actually go out because they have that option?

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 14:45
        +3

        mmm possibly? colesworths is open till 9 though, kmart open till 9.
        take out wise maccas and hj is always open , plus a few other dedicated shops in the dining precinct.
        stll pretty dead though usually .

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:34

          True, other comments mention that department stores and supermarkets are open til 9 and they do cover most things people would need in general. I guess I mean more specialised stuff that you might want but can't get because the shops are closed, e.g. stuff from JB Hi Fi, Baby Bunting etc.

          Speaking of fast food, a KFC near me is open until 2 am on weekdays and 4 am on the weekend. How's that for trading hours! Granted I don't go there much anymore, but it was always satisfying after a night out.

          • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 16:42
            +2

            @Ghost47:

            KFC near me is open until 2 am on weekdays and 4 am on the weekend.

            Living the dream!

    • kanad on 02/08/2023 - 15:37
      -1

      Even extending Friday shopping hours would work wonders. The number of people in Chermside shopping centre still there at 5PM is a lot and I am sure they would stay back if it is opened late like Thursday.

      • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 17:08

        Chermside's one of the bigger centres isn't it?

  • cheekymonkey on 02/08/2023 - 14:38
    +1

    Department stores and supermarkets (and some others) are open till 9pm on weekdays in SA. That does me plenty. However the weekend… different story. At the least the earlier openings on Sunday recently is a move in right direction.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 14:40

      openings on Sunday

      I would love this tbh, sunday if QLD could start at 9 would make a big difference imo.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:45

      Department stores and supermarkets would cover most things I guess, but what about for things like book stores? I know you can buy books at Big W or Kmart, but they don't always have the book you want. Or JB Hi Fi if you want a certain electronic item or appliance that you can't get at Kmart or Big W?

      At the least the earlier openings on Sunday recently is a move in right direction.

      And if you apply that to extended night hours on a Friday and/or Saturday for all shops, would that not be more convenient?

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 14:47

        I know you can buy books at Big W or Kmart, but they don't always have the book you want

        to be fair even when borders was still around, 9 times out of 10 they didnt have the book i want, ended up just buying ebook version on amazon .

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:49
          +1

          Fair enough. I've been in situations recently where the only place the book was stocked was QBD books. Granted I didn't go outside normal trading hours, but the range a bookstore has as opposed to a department store would be wider (even if you just compare a few aisles in Big W to an entire shop in a shopping centre).

          Ebooks are definitely convenient for those who like to read using an e-reader.

      • cheekymonkey on 02/08/2023 - 15:32
        +1

        Not really a big deal for me. Friday is late night shopping in Adelaide CBD and not living far from it, I can always pop in and get something if I really need it.

    • kerfuffle on 02/08/2023 - 14:49
      +1

      Department stores and supermarkets (and some others) are open till 9pm on weekdays in SA

      Since when? I just looked up David Jones Marion and they close at 5:30 on weekdays bar Thursday and earlier on the weekend.

      If you mean discount department stores then they usually have extended trading hours of their own accord. In NSW, the Kmart near my work opens until midnight

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 15:01

        Kmart near my work opens until midnight

        I wish qld had this, dedicated kmart bargain hunters usually camp out these late night ones to grab the super limited specials i read :(

        • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2023 - 15:13
          +1

          Really? How would they know? What specials tho aside from clearance markdown stuff?

          • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 15:25

            @[Deactivated]: Mainly the clearance markdown stuff or the times release stuff. Mainly comments from here actually. There are people who make a living off flipping discounted or exclusive Kmart gear.

            • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2023 - 15:33
              +1

              @Jimothy Wongingtons: Oh !

              A family member has an Etsy shop & reported another who was selling Kmart homewares (without disclosing that it was Kmart branded as it's a no-no by Etsy rules) at prices more expensive than available at Kmart. The shop has hundreds of sales.

              • Jimothy Wongingtons on 02/08/2023 - 15:46
                +2

                @[Deactivated]: i am not surprised, a lot of budget priced kmart stuff actually presents REALLY well in photos.

                • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2023 - 15:49
                  +1

                  @Jimothy Wongingtons: Yes! I was going to get a bookcase for the kiddos which looked IKEA OK online but was a cheap-mess when I saw it instore.

                  • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:54

                    @[Deactivated]: IKEA also has pretty good trading hours IMO, longer than most places.

                    • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2023 - 16:03

                      @Ghost47: The IKEA near me is standalone & would be ultra creepy at night with much less people shopping & all those overly decorated quasi-rooms bunched together!

        • cheekymonkey on 02/08/2023 - 15:20

          If people are that dedicated to the Kmart cult, you could have the store open only from 1pm-2pm and they would still attend. It doesn't make sense for midnight openings in SA. The population is not here to support it.

      • cheekymonkey on 02/08/2023 - 15:19

        The discount department stores have what you need quickly. Even if you go to some of those other stores late on a Thursday night, they are a ghost town.

    • jv on 02/08/2023 - 14:51

      are open till 9pm on weekdays in SA

      LOL, pretty much everything closed about 6pm on a Friday when i lived there…

  • jv on 02/08/2023 - 14:50

    Would you like to have extended trading hours in your state?

    no

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:51

      Don't you mean no?

      • jv on 02/08/2023 - 14:52
        +1

        Not a mean 'no', a kind 'no'…

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 14:54

          So that's why you bold things… Well, TIL.

  • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 14:56
    +1

    Why is 9pm considered an acceptable time for shops to close? Why not later? It seems popular enough when 24-hour trading occurs.

    • pharkurnell on 02/08/2023 - 15:10
      +6

      Perhaps people who work in shops would like to go home at a reasonable time?

      • GG57 on 02/08/2023 - 15:13

        Exactly.

        Imagine how much better it would be for those shop workers on a late shift if they didn't have to work until 9pm? They could spend valuable time with their families and friends and enjoy life more.

        • brendanm on 02/08/2023 - 16:45

          Probably not these days, they have to work 32 hours just to put fuel in the car and get a few cans of baked beans.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 02/08/2023 - 15:06
    +3

    Same $$ spent over longer time frame = increased operating costs = increased retail prices for same margins.
    Extending trading hours is more convenient, but doesn't increase the available cash held by customers.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:20

      Same $$ spent over longer time frame = increased operating costs = increased retail prices for same margins.

      Lol, that's flawed. Why are you saying margins are going to be the same? With extended hours margins could also increase.

      If hours are extended, and sales increase as a result, would prices go up?

      Having lived in NSW and VIC, NSW if anything has a higher COL compared to VIC, yet VIC has extended hours. From what I've seen prices stores like Big W and JB Hi Fi seem to be similar across the two states, at least not sizeable enough to make a big difference. It was mainly food prices at restaurants that I noticed were high, but that's offset with higher salaries in NSW anyway.

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 02/08/2023 - 15:25
        +1

        If hours are extended, and sales increase as a result

        So where is all of the new spending money coming from for the increased sales?

        Increased costs from operating longer hours means that if a retailer wants to maintain their margins, price must increase.

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:49

          So where is all of the new spending money coming from for the increased sales?

          People's salary or their savings? In the current climate with COL increasing and rates going up sure, it'll be harder.

          Increased costs from operating longer hours means that if a retailer wants to maintain their margins, price must increase.

          I'm still not getting what you mean here. Won't prices only need to increase if sales don't increase?

          As I said, from my experience living in both Sydney and Melbourne for a decent amount of time, prices for products at stores seemed to be on par with each other, which shouldn't be the case if what you're saying is true.

          • DashCam AKA Rolts on 02/08/2023 - 15:57

            @Ghost47:

            I'm still not getting what you mean here. Won't prices only need to increase if sales don't increase?

            The retailer will have extra costs:
            - salaries, staff don't work extra hours without being paid. This is probably the largest cost.
            - operating cost, lighting, heating/cooling costs. ( Looked at your power bill lately?)

            These are not insignificant costs for any store.
            If the dollars spent don't change, those extra operating costs either come out of the profit margins or, most likely, will be carried by the consumer in increased retail prices.

            Sales won't suddenly increase, just because stores are open later. People shop for what they want, when they can. Budgets don't sudden change because of shopping hours.

            Consumers don't magically have extra cash to spend just because stores are open longer, so where does the extra spending money come from? This is especial true in times of inflation and rising interest rates.

            • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:12

              @DashCam AKA Rolts:

              • salaries, staff don't work extra hours without being paid. This is probably the largest cost.

              I worked late nights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when I was at uni, and due to my workplace I didn't get penalty rates. I and everyone I worked with didn't mind it, otherwise the turnover would've been high. I would say that it ultimately depends on the individual and if they're ok with not receiving penalty rates, not everyone is the same. If everyone wanted to be paid a high salary there wouldn't be anyone driving Uber or delivering food would there?

              People shop for what they want, when they can.

              And if people can shop on a Friday, why would they not if they are given that option? Especially if they are busy the night before?

              Do you not see that pigeonholing people into one night a week of late night shopping is restrictive?

              Consumers don't magically have extra cash to spend just because stores are open longer, so where does the extra spending money come from?

              It is not extra money, it is money they would have spent but didn't spend because they didn't have the opportunity to spend it. That makes sense that costs would increase without an increase in sales.

              You're definitely more focussed on the overall bottom line. Nothing wrong with that, but I think overall standard of living needs to be considered as well (which IMO improves when people are given more options).

              • DashCam AKA Rolts on 02/08/2023 - 16:38

                @Ghost47:

                I worked late nights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when I was at uni,

                And you got paid right? Same as the rest of the staff working the hours you didn't. This means more wages paid, penalty rates or not.

                It is not extra money, it is money they would have spent but didn't spend because they didn't have the opportunity to spend it.

                That means it's discretionary expenditure, which is the first thing affected by increased cost of living.

                Large retailers are the first to call for more relaxed trading hours. Small retailers usually don't, as they are the first casualties when extended hours are implemented. With less competition, large retailers can then force prices up.

                • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:44

                  @DashCam AKA Rolts:

                  And you got paid right? Same as the rest of the staff working the hours you didn't. This means more wages paid, penalty rates or not.

                  True.

                  That means it's discretionary expenditure, which is the first thing affected by increased cost of living.

                  True again and more important now since COL has increased. But if retailers want to stay open, should they not be allowed to?

                  Large retailers are the first to call for more relaxed trading hours. Small retailers usually don't, as they are the first casualties when extended hours are implemented. With less competition, large retailers can then force prices up.

                  Is there any data that says small retailer will die off? It's seems plausible. When I think of shopping centres like Chadstone or Highpoint, they're mostly full of larger retailers or franchisees though.

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 02/08/2023 - 15:27
        +1

        Lol, that's flawed. Why are you saying margins are going to be the same? With extended hours margins could also increase.

        Trying reading what I posted again.

  • Cheaplikethebird on 02/08/2023 - 15:07
    +2

    One of the reasons I would never move back to Brisbane. Coles closing at 9pm is a relic from a time when the average person would go home to their suburban home and have dinner at 7pm and be in bed by 9pm.

  • pharkurnell on 02/08/2023 - 15:07
    +3

    Chadstone could be open 500 hours a day - there is nothing on this earth that could make me go to that shit fight nightmare shopping center.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:11

      What's so bad about it?

      • Cheaplikethebird on 02/08/2023 - 15:23
        +1

        Honestly the worst thing about Chadstone is going there and seeing the sort of people who actually enjoy going there. Parking's f**ked too.

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:32

          seeing the sort of people who actually enjoy going there.

          What do you mean by "sort of people"?

          Parking's f**ked too.

          In my experience the best place to park is the Coles parking lot. Although it definitely seems busier compared to a few years ago.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/08/2023 - 15:11
    +2

    I think shopping habits, overall, have changed since 'rona & due to the increase in the cost of living.

    I was in Kmart recently at 11pm on our way home from the CBD & it was eerie, with more staff than shoppers. They even closed an exit out of the car park which was annoying.

  • freefall101 on 02/08/2023 - 15:20
    +1

    Good luck getting staff in the current climate.

    I buy most things online unless it’s super cheap in store, so really I don’t care. However having lived in North America and see the low pay, endless hours nightmare of retail I’m against wanting to create that here. It’s not really a healthy thing for the workers

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:25

      Good luck getting staff in the current climate.

      Staffing concerns seems to be an issue and from what I've seen is often brought up to argue against extended hours.

      For example people seem to say "Well who is going to want to work until 9 pm on a Friday anyway?" I personally think there would be plenty of people happy to work.

      There are also more Aussies working more than one job compared to previous years.

      • Seraphin7 on 02/08/2023 - 15:42
        +1

        Staffing concerns shouldn't be the concerns of governments. That is for a business to deal to … and then determine whether or not they can (1) attract staff to work at any given time, and (2) do so at an economic level.

        I really don't understand why a government effectively wants to tell a willing employer and employee that they cannot contract to do work at any particular time of the day.

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:45
          +1

          True. After reading the articles linked below from try2bhelpful it does seem quite odd.

  • jellykingdom on 02/08/2023 - 15:21
    +2

    I would settle for a) all key facilities being open til maybe 6pm (banks, post offices, doctors, dentists, etc), and b) eateries being open until midnight. I'm sure every person who has been overseas knows the feeling of being able to grab a bite to eat really late and the great vibe of those cities. It can be a struggle to get anything to eat after about 830 in Australia

  • Seraphin7 on 02/08/2023 - 15:22
    +2

    I find it peculiar that shopping should be effectively banned by relevant laws at certain times of the day, although obviously I don't know what the actual laws/restrictions are in every jurisdiction/situation.

    Not many shops, especially out of the major city CBDs, and perhaps some of the more significant suburban shopping centres, would likely have cause to be open later than "normal", but surely this should be a decision for the business owner to make based on their own projections of profitability, rather than blanket governmental bans?

  • try2bhelpful on 02/08/2023 - 15:26
    +1

    You might find these interesting reading

    https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/saturday-afternoon-tra…

    https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/sunday-trading/

    The trading laws ended up being farcical before they were deregulated. They allowed restricted trading for things like bookshops so you had the spectacle of one place selling you a book for a greatly inflated price but they would throw in a free pool table.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:45

      Thanks, those were interesting articles!

      I found the last line in the first article interesting:

      The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the agreement “gives a 38-hour week, virtually wipes out casual work and give many other benefits including improved penalty rates for the employees of the six companies, Grace Bos, Woolworths, Coles, Target, Safeways and Myer”.

      • try2bhelpful on 02/08/2023 - 15:47
        +1

        Interesting because the final line in the second article was
        “Extended retail trading hours further casualised the workforce – in 1992, 30% of 17-year-old boys and 40% of 17-year-old girls had a part-time job, mostly in retail or in fast food.”

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:52

          Yes that's true. I would say that casual or part time work is more common in the retail and hospitality sectors.

          If the article is mentioning workforce casualisation it wouldn't make sense to apply that to all industries.

  • PVA on 02/08/2023 - 15:29
    +1

    Maybe office work could be extended hours as well. You could work 12 noon to 9pm so then you’d have the morning off.
    Or split shifts, work Friday 4 hours and Saturday 4 hours so you have Friday afternoon off.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:34
      +1

      People can do that in my workplace. It depends on the manager, but as long as you get your work done it's ok. Although it depends on your calendar of course.

      • PVA on 02/08/2023 - 16:07

        Thats good.
        A lot of people are one way though… they want retail workers to work non-normal hours but they would not do it themselves.

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:21

          I can picture that happening. I would say that retail and hospitality jobs are better suited for younger people (i.e. young adults) because of the dynamic working hours. E.g. if you study at university, you can work 2 pm to 10 pm, or 6 pm to 12 am. Or if you've left high school, you can be flexible with the hours you work.

          • PVA on 02/08/2023 - 16:45

            @Ghost47: Do you want a school kid fitting your suit?
            I think if it open hours, then its all business, office workers, work from home…everyone.

            Imagine the price increases because of wages..

  • Gdsamp on 02/08/2023 - 15:51
    +4

    In WA

    Closing at 1800 on a Saturday or Sunday would be better than the current 5pm, more so in summer.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 15:53
      +2

      Seems like a no brainer to me, I don't know why people would argue against extended hours. It definitely helps for those who work 9 to 5, although granted WFH has probably allowed people do more shopping during work hours.

      • Gdsamp on 02/08/2023 - 16:05

        how much does Big IGA spend lobbying the government to maintain a monopoly on trade after 5pm on weekends …

    • Almost Banned on 02/08/2023 - 17:14
      +3

      WA has very tight trading hours and frankly it is a bit of a relic.
      That said, while I personally would like the hours widened considerably, I also think that retailers should not be forced to open by their landlords/centre management. There's already some protection for this in the Retail Shops Act from memory. If stores want to open, they should be allowed to, but they should not be forced to do so.

      • Jaitch on 12/08/2023 - 14:30

        WA has very tight trading hours and frankly it is a bit of a relic.

        I'm not sure that the existing hours are that restrictive, small retailers (less than six owners, no more than four outlets and up to 25 staff working at any one time) can currently trade 24 hours a day but most choose not to.

        I also think that retailers should not be forced to open by their landlords/centre management. There's already some protection for this in the Retail Shops Act from memory. If stores want to open, they should be allowed to, but they should not be forced to do so.

        In WA, regardless of the hours that the landlord or centre management would like to see a retailer open, it's entirely up to the retailer as to their trading hours.

        Any clause requiring tenants to open specific hours is actually void under the Act.

  • JIMB0 on 02/08/2023 - 15:55
    +1

    Why should the retailers change their hours to suit you? Maybe you should get time off work to go when they're open.

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:02
      -1

      Strange reply. I would say that extended hours wouldn't just benefit me, but others and possibly even the economy overall. It's simply about having more flexibility and options.

      Why is giving people more options and flexibility a bad thing, especially if it can lead to an increase in sales for a business?

      If your profile is accurate, don't you appreciate that you can go shopping on a Friday night if you want to?

      • JIMB0 on 02/08/2023 - 16:07

        It's just a hypothetical question. What if every business (not just retail) had to stay open late, not many people would be going as they'd all be working.

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:14

          Every business as in corporate head offices, car dealerships etc.?

          I think that's an extreme and I'm not suggesting that to happen.

        • Seraphin7 on 02/08/2023 - 16:16
          +1

          I don't think you'll find too many arguing that a business has to stay open late … just that they should be able to if they want to.

    • Nillionaire on 02/08/2023 - 23:12
      +1

      Because ideally society operates in a way that serves the people living in said society alongside the economy?

  • leiiv on 02/08/2023 - 16:01
    +3

    Is extended trading hour regulated differently for each category or even for each specific business?
    I would say just leave it up to the market and don't put any artificial restriction on trading hours.

    • leiiv on 02/08/2023 - 16:59

      I just found this page: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-s…
      It is very complicated and confusing to read, but it seems that in QLD, some shops are already allowed to open 24/7 including all public holidays, but some like big supermarkets and department stores are restricted depending on the very particular area. I find those rules are very weird and archaic. For example, 24/7 toy shop, really? Just make all shops in any area the same and allow 24/7 trading hours..

  • JimmyF on 02/08/2023 - 16:03

    I was pretty shocked to see that only Thursdays in Sydney had extended trading hours considering Sydney is one of our most populous states.

    Thats why people live in VIC… /thread

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:35
      -1

      Not trying to make it into that kind of thread but extended trading hours certainly increases the quality of life for me personally.

  • brad1-8tsi on 02/08/2023 - 16:49

    Maybe just be more organised

    • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:50

      That is certainly required when there's only one night for late night shopping.

      • brad1-8tsi on 02/08/2023 - 16:52

        Why can't you shop Saturday or Sunday?
        I used to work a 60hr week and still had time to shop

        • Ghost47 on 02/08/2023 - 16:53

          I can and have.

          It's more about just having the option of being able to go on more than one night a week. Or if things come up last minute that are out of your control, it's good to have the option of being able to get what you need when you are on a tight timeline.

  • cookie2 on 02/08/2023 - 22:06

    I would only want extended hours if the workforce had better conditions, workplace rights (actually adhered to/followed etc) and career development and training opportunities. Otherwise it's just squeezing more from staff.

  • jjjaar on 02/08/2023 - 23:03

    Note: I didn't bother including VIC in the poll since we already have it pretty good IMO.

    We could have it better. In the UK, retail shops are open til 9/10pm Monday to Saturday (supermarkets longer) and then on Sundays can only trade for 6 hours between 10am and 6pm, most stores choosing to open from 12-6.

    There’s something so relaxing about knowing that Sunday mornings are actually a time of rest, without the obligation of going to buy groceries or replace broken homewares etc.

    And as someone who always thinks of things I need to buy during the week, but with an already busy weekend coming up, being able to go out on any evening after work would be great.

    • Ghost47 on 03/08/2023 - 00:06

      I definitely agree we could have it better, I'm coming from the perspective that compared to other cities we have it pretty good already.

      Damn, those trading hours are pretty good. Definitely sounds like Sunday would be more for rest than anything else.

  • 2esc on 03/08/2023 - 10:21
    +1

    We use to get by with 5 and a half day trading. Working weekends means less time with family. People use to have the ability to plan meals and actually stock up. But I suppose some like to spend money shopping. Shopping is a necessity for me not my idea of a good time out.

    • try2bhelpful on 03/08/2023 - 10:35

      I come from the era when these restrictions were in place. Both my parents worked, including the 1/2 day on Saturday morning. It was very difficult for my mother to get her grocery shopping done for a family of seven.

      • GG57 on 03/08/2023 - 10:40

        Out of interest, how did your mother manage the grocery shopping?

        • try2bhelpful on 03/08/2023 - 10:59
          +1

          Probably by going out during her lunch hour and getting what she could. I do know she was unhappy with how difficult this was for her and how much better it was when the restricted trading was removed.

  • Sensiekatie on 03/08/2023 - 14:34

    For the big companies, longer trading affects their trading costs, especially wages. How much extra would they actually make? We the public only have so much money to spend. We will spend it no matter when the stores are open. The only difference might be where we spend it. So if Woolworths is open until 9.and Aldi isn't, then we will spend in Woolworths. If our work hours make shopping for speciality it's difficult, then we will probably shop online. If they shortened the hours, we would find a way to shop
    We do it in the shorter weeks with public holidays quite well.

    There aren't many.left, but think about the poor little guy. They are being squeezed out by the big guns in many areas of retail. I've known family businesses actually be threatened with if you don't sell to me, we will set up in opposition to you. Opening longer hours means that they either have to pay staff or stretch themselves out to work longer. So either costs go up or their social life goes down or a combination of both.

    My husband is a sole trader with no staff. People have the expectation that he is available 7 days a week and from 8 am (earlier some days) until 9 or 10 pm. Even had later calls then that. His website says "by appointment only'. We still get people turning up without ringing first. Last week, a man abused him twice because he turned up twice without ringing first. The second time he had said he would come Tuesday this week and he arrived Friday last week. My husband had just gone to the post office. He was abusive and demanded my husband come back for him. I don't know how my husband is expected to actually get his work done. People's expectations are so unrealistic. My husband is 72. His trade has not trained any new blood for years. Others are retired. It's happening not just in this country. They are as rare as hen's teeth. In this business, they actually get to talk to him directly. People just have no idea how rare that is.

    We had a retail store at a time when they were considering extending trading in NZ. Our particular business area did the late night but also added the Saturday morning when other districts were not open. This was of course years ago. We did increase our business because people came to us instead of to the areas that were not open on the Saturday. To manage the extra hours, our sales woman did not work the late night or Saturday morning (at her request). I had a full time job and then i did the late night and Saturday as well plus got the banking ready for Monday and paid the bills monthly. So our cost was to our personal life. On Xmas eve we opened until people stopped coming in. So that was usually a midnight close. In the early years, we would then be taking the Xmas tree and other decorations to our car in the early hours to have at home because we couldn't afford both. It.was exhausting.

  • Ryk on 03/08/2023 - 18:12
    +1

    Ideally trading hours should be unrestricted, and stores open until at least 10pm everynight, including Sundays. They can open later as a counter to late closing, say at 10am, as required. Who are the customers? Online stores don't close.

    • try2bhelpful on 03/08/2023 - 19:56

      I bet a lot of online stores aren’t fulfilling your order at 10 pm. They will be “picking” the product during business hours. Also you will need to wait the number of days it takes to deliver and the “will it arrive” trauma. Every time I see Fastway as the delivery mob my heart sinks. I’m middle of the road. I want decent hours but it doesn’t have to be excessive.

      • Ryk on 04/08/2023 - 19:09

        amazon usually delivers next day, even when ordering at night. delivery measured in hours.

        • try2bhelpful on 04/08/2023 - 20:29
          +1

          If you go to a store then delivery is immediate.

  • peteru on 03/08/2023 - 21:20
    +1

    All the K-Mart, Woolworths and Coles stores around this part of Sydney are open until 10pm, pretty much every day. It's not late enough for me (and apparently a fair few other people) as there are always shoppers in these stores at closing time. The staff appear to be working pretty hard to get everyone to finish their shopping and get out. In fact they seem to put more effort into that activity than actually serving the customers who are ready to pay and leave.

    I reckon a fair few stores should stay open until at least midnight. And bottle shops too, so you can get something to wash down that last BBQ chook you picked up at the supermarket. 🍗

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join