Blenheim retailers underestimated the demand for national flags during the Rugby World Cup and have ordered more stock to keep the fans happy, according to one shop owner.
Three stores contacted by The Marlborough Express sold out of the flags, including car flags, but had ordered more.
Rex McCaa, who owns the Only $3 shop in Charles St, said another shipment of flags and car flags arrived yesterday and more were expected on Monday.
He had "grossly underestimated" the number of flags he would sell, he said.
Demand had been high since just before the tournament started, and a shipment of 144 flags that arrived on Fridaylast week was sold out by the end of the day.
Aside from the popular All Blacks and Russian flags, demand for flags had been evenly spread.
The flags have been particularly popular with people from island nations such as Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, who have been trying to get their hands on anything which represents their country.
Warehouse Blenheim manager Chrissie Grayling said the Blenheim store, and others around the country, had sold out of the All Blacks' car flags, but a new shipment was expected before the All Blacks v France game tomorrow.
The Blenheim store had sold almost 1000 of the car flags and did not sell flags for any other country.
Its national office had limited sales of the car flags to 10 per person because of the demand, she said.
People in bigger centres such as Auckland had been buying the flags and selling them on the street, but Ms Grayling was not aware of this happening in Blenheim.
Goods 2 U manager KB Lee said the store, in Market St, sold out of New Zealand, Russian and Italian flags, but was restocking.
- The Marlborough Express
SIMON WONG
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