As Boxing Day has slowly morphed into a week of deals, some stores are seeing shorter lines on Dec. 26. However, plenty of shoppers are still searching for discounts the day after Christmas.
“We’re looking for the best deal possible. Probably a gaming console,” said Kathleen Luce, a shopper who was out early in the morning hoping to secure a deal.
She says, when it comes to Boxing Day shopping, she’s no veteran, but she still enjoys the thrill of the day.
“I’ve personally been to one. That was probably about 11 years ago and it was a Best Buy, it was for a TV,” said Luce. “It was just me and a bunch of people lined up.”
However, she says things have changed in the years since.
“There are no lines.”
One shopper, Tad Chrapko, says he is used to door crashing on Boxing Day and the lack of long lines is nothing surprising given the changes to shopping trends in recent years.
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“Black Friday is kind of a bigger thing here in Canada now than it ever used to be. It usually was Boxing Day,” said Chrapko. “The sales go on for the whole week. Nothing special, no door crashers usually.”
However, Matthew Emke, the store leader at Best Buy in South Edmonton Common says his store did have a massive queue, which only adds to the excitement of the day.
“It’s fun. That’s probably the one word to describe it. There’s a buzz in the air, there’s a good vibe and an atmosphere just of people getting excited for the deals and promotions that they’ve been looking for.”
Emke says there has been a shift to online, but a lot of shoppers still enjoy the adventure that comes with in-person shopping.
“If you talk to people in your family, you’re going to notice that some people love coming in and dealing with the crowds. They get excitement and it fills their cup. Other people are choosing to shop (online),” said Emke.
He says the day has remained a massive success for retailers in Canada, with him projecting thousands of customers entering his store alone.
“Boxing Day is still one of the busiest and most high traffic days that we experience in the retail landscape throughout the year,” said Emke.
For the West Edmonton Mall, which was also filled with shoppers, Boxing Day is actually becoming more popular with each passing year.
“Last year was our busiest Boxing Day yet and we’re expecting the same this year, maybe even a little more traffic. It’s been really great,” said Danielle Woo, the general manager and executive vice president of the West Edmonton Mall.
Like Emke, Woo says some people simply prefer in-person shopping because it is a completely different experience than buying with a few clicks.
“More and more people are coming back to shop brick and mortar stores because they want that experience, they want to see the merch, try it on, ask questions.”
She says online browsing is still happening, but it’s more like window shopping, with customers then physically entering the store later to complete the transaction.
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