Slim pickings for bargain hunters
SHOPPERS struggled to find the bargains on day one of WOW Sight and Sound's closing down sale yesterday.
In scenes reminiscent of the Boxing Day sales, more than 200 were lined up outside the Maroochydore store at 9am as the doors opened for the receiver-initiated sale.
Some arrived as early as 7.30am to take advantage of the expected massive discounts on computers, cameras, DVDs, CDs and video games.
Thoughts of the 580 jobs to be lost from the closure of WOW's 15 stores around Australia probably weighed little on the minds of shoppers as they filed quietly through the doors.
But many were quick to leave empty handed and disappointed, complaining of minor discounts on most items of only around 5-10%.
"It's a load of rubbish," said Mountain Creek man Ian Cove.
"I didn't come here looking for anything in particular; I was looking for a bargain, but there was nothing in there."
Jools Dahlenburg of Maleny went looking for a new TV, but left disappointed.
"You could negotiate a better price at some other stores," she said.
Cookie Jones from Twin Waters has happy as she bought a TV marked down 20%.
"My old TV died just a couple of days ago so I was coming here anyway to pick up a new one," she said.
"I'm sad to see the store go. It was one of my favourites."
WOW was placed into the hands of receiver Ferrier Hodgson last month after the group was hit by a $20 million bad debt, tough trading conditions and an 8% fall in turnover.
Redundant staff will be paid their salaries in the normal course of business, but could wait three months for all entitlements.
