Christmas is still six months away, but the festive shopping rush has already begun with hundreds of collectors queuing for hours before charging through Big W department store doors in a bid to secure rare Pokémon cards.
At Big W stores across the country, bargain hunters braved freezing temperatures on Monday night, all chasing a shot at an ultra-rare Pokémon card.
Yekta Najmi, 28, was first in line, waiting ten hours. Right behind him was Lucas Huxtable, who brought his mum and grandmother along for the night.
"It was freezing. Oh my God. We all started shivering, we tried to get the Macca's coffee," one collector said.
Retailing for $120, cards in the special box have been out of print for years, with some being resold online for several times that price.
The quest to catch them all even sparked Poke-battles in Melbourne, with reports of chaotic scenes.
"Crazy work this morning. People fighting, yelling, swearing," one local said.
Collectors queued for hours overnight. There's hope of obtaining an ultra rare card.
While some shoppers were getting a head start on Christmas, others hope Tuesday's purchases will help pay for it. Collectors want to pull a card worth up to $4500.
"Obviously worth a lot more on the secondary market or for a collector," Huxtable said.
The Pokémon card release coincides with Big W's annual toy sale, which has attracted shoppers looking to ease the financial burden of the festive season.
"I've been given a list by seven grandchildren in different catalogues," shopper Sharon Martin said.
With household budgets under pressure, demand for these mid-year sales is only growing. Many shoppers are hoping a few wins now will take the edge off December.
Australians are expected to spend $9.4 billion this Christmas, making early bargain hunting an increasingly attractive option for savvy shoppers.
