Local Shoppers Win Big in Visit, Shop & Explore Draw

Invercargill shoppers have scored big after a city centre promotion attracted more than 10,000 entries and boosted local business in April.

The Visit, Shop & Explore campaign, run by Great South and Invercargill City Council, offered a $3,000 prize pool to encourage people to shop locally. Seven winners were drawn under police supervision on May 7.

Stephen won the top prize of a $1,000 Prezzy Card after shopping at Petsmart.nz on Deveron Street for a rabbit enclosure extension for his daughter.

"I definitely wasn't expecting it," Stephen said. "I was just there to grab something practical, so getting the call was a real bonus. It's pretty cool that shopping local can turn into something like this."

The campaign proved hugely popular, with 96 city centre businesses taking part - including standalone retailers and Invercargill Central tenants. Every purchase during April earned shoppers an entry into the prize draw.

Great South City Centre Coordinator Oli Cameron said the campaign's success showed strong community support for local retailers.

"It's been fantastic to see the level of participation — not just from shoppers, but from the businesses who got right behind it," Oli said. "Over 10,000 entries shows how much people value the city centre and want to support local retailers."

Businesses reported positive customer conversations throughout the month, with many shoppers rediscovering what the city centre had to offer.

The month-long promotion aimed to get people exploring different shops, streets and precincts across Invercargill's central business district, making it one of the most widely supported retail campaigns in the city centre.