Q'town mega duty free store off to a quiet and expensive start

The huge DFS Galleria duty free store in Queenstown appears to be struggling to attract initial customers even though the CBD is now full of tourists as flights into the district reach pre-Covid levels.

A visit by Crux this morning showed the massive complex to be largely deserted, in spite of a 40 percent discount being offered on selected items.

The food court was open for business today, November 14, 2022.

The food court in the basement area opened today for the first time.

On selected items only.

Many of the items in the store appeared to be more expensive than the same or similar products available for purchase elsewhere in the country, but staff did indicate that some price matching was available.

The Beach Street entrance to the new store complex is still affected by street upgrade work underway in the CBD that has come in for criticism for taking years to complete.

The multi-level store claims to sell more than 120 New Zealand and international brands and aspires to be a “large department store” for Queenstown residents.

Reactions on social media after the gala opening a couple of weeks ago (Crux was not invited) indicate many locals have been underwhelmed by the store’s offering, wishing instead for a Queenstown branch of Farmers.