Boxing Day sales sweep across Saskatchewan stores

The Retail Council of Canada said that Tuesday is the day to shop for yourself, as Boxing Day sales sweep through stores across Saskatchewan.

“On those earlier shopping days, we tend to see people purchasing gifts for others — that’s when they are doing their holiday shopping,” said Michelle Wasylyshen with the Retail Council of Canada. “When we turn our attention to Boxing Day, we tend to see more purchasing for the self and self-gifting.”

According to the council, 32 per cent of shoppers wait for Boxing Day to make a big purchase.

“So, furniture, electronics, mattresses and those kinds of things,” Wasylyshen said. “Also, clothing and seasonal items.”

The Retail Council of Canada conducts an annual holiday shopping survey to look at the current year’s consumer trends when it comes to end of year shopping.

Wasylyshen said that this year, the council noticed consumers seemed ready to spend record amounts of money while still being mindful.

“They want to, of course, ensure that they budgets are going to go further than ever, as everyone is concerned with the cost of living and other economic considerations.”

She said that in 2023, consumers planned ahead and considered deals and bargains more than ever before.

“They really took advantage of some of those holiday shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and of course, Boxing Day.”

While the official 2023 survey results aren’t in yet, Wasylyshen said the numbers might look a little bit different this year as holiday shopping deals started earlier and lasted longer.

She said consumer spending is expected to have been more spread out rather instead of spiking on a single day.

According to the Retail Council of Canada, while online shopping exploded during the pandemic, people are looking to get back into stores and shopping in-person as of last year.

“Consumers like to shop in stores,” Wasylysen said. “They like to touch and feel the products that they are going to buy, they like to go into the stores and get gift ideas, they like to try on the clothes.”

She said now, online shopping platforms are used as tools for price comparison and browsing.