Australian business today is expecting last minute Christmas shoppers to spend $800 million, only a small portion compared to the estimated $36.5 billion in sales for the six weeks prior to the holiday. The Australian Retailers Association released a report stating that NSW shoppers will be spending $296 million on last minute gifts and food. Richard Evans of the Australian Retailers Association said "It'll be a healthy Christmas for retailers, who want their cash registers ringing long and loud.” Department stores say that the top picks of the season are GPS devices and PlaySation3 consoles. The Sydney Fish Market is even bulking up for their busiest day of the year by increasing security to deal with the large crowds. An estimated 80,000 people are expected to shop at the market on Saturday buying around 800 tons of seafood.
