Stores in Chelmsford are primed for their busiest shopping weekend of the year this weekend, as gift buyers rush to collect gifts before Christmas.
Thousands will descend on town centres to take advantage of the sales and promotions ramped up by all the big stores.
And it appears the price slashing has had an effect on the tills, with retails sales hitting a 10 year high in November, according to the Office of National Statistics.
The number of items bought jumped by 6.4 per cent when compared to the same month last year, which is the biggest increase since 2004.
In total, shoppers spent an average of £400million a week more in November than last year, taking the total up to almost £32billion.
Argos, which has two stores in Chelmsford, is already marketing its 'biggest ever Toy and Game sale' which includes deals for Amazon Kindles and Google Chromebooks, Samsung Galaxy mobile phones and iPad Mini 3s.<
"Hot toys" for Christmas include My Friend Cayla, Disney Princess dolls, and Transformers robots.
