The sales are starting earlier and earlier but Boxing Day is still the main event for those willing to brave the crowds to find the best deals in town.
Whether you’re planning to head out over the next few days or on Dec. 26, shop smarter with these tips from the experts, including TV host and professional shopper Kristina Matisic (Anna & Kristina’s Grocery Bag).
Take transit or carpool
Emotions can flare before you’ve even reached your destination when you’re competing with other shoppers for a parking spot. Circle the parking lot enough times and you’ve got a recipe for road rage. Or, at the very least, road stress. Take transit, walk or carpool with family and friends instead, says Vancouver-based shopping expert Kristina Matisic,
Start early
“Mid-afternoon is probably the worst time to go and I think it is the time most of us do go,” says Matisic. “We’re waking up after Christmas morning and the big meal, and it’s ‘OK, what should we do today? Let’s go to the mall around 1 or 2 p.m.’ Well, guess what? That’s what everyone else is thinking.”
So if you’re serious about shopping on Boxing Day, get there early. The same goes if you plan on shopping later in the week to take advantage of Boxing Week sales.
Bring cash
Shoppers who aren’t looking for anything specific should bring cash to avoid over-spending.
Decide on your budget before you go and allow yourself to spend only the cash you bring. “That’s a good way to keep yourself in line,” says Matisic.
Avoid shopping in groups
Bring a friend or family member if you’re the kind of shopper who needs a second opinion or someone to stand in line for you while you grab that extra pair of socks. Whatever you do, don’t bring the family out for a shopping trip on Boxing Day.
“Bringing grandma and the three kids with you is probably going to lead to some crying fits and exasperation,” says Matisic.
Wear as little as possible
“I know it’s winter but I would wear as little as possible,” suggests Matisic. “Maybe leggings and a T-shirt and a sweater that you can take off so if the fitting rooms are crazy busy, you can throw things over what you’re wearing in the middle of the store.”
If you’re inclined to buy without trying things on, double-check the return policy as sale items are often non-refundable.
Stick to the plan
If you know exactly what you want to purchase, plan your route and the time necessary for shopping – and stick to it.
Ask about price adjustments and sales
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If you plan on shopping over the next few days before Dec. 26, it doesn’t hurt to ask retailers if they’ll offer a price adjustment if the item is further reduced on Boxing Day. Or see if they’ll tell you if the sale will be reduced even further.
But if it’s something you really want, you may be better off buying now rather than risking it being sold out on Boxing Day.
Be choosy about buying “holiday” wear
No doubt all those sparkly dresses and sequinned Ts will be going on sale this week. But is there any point buying them after all the Christmas parties? Alexandra Suhner Isenberg, a fashion instructor at the Visual College of Art and Designin Vancouver and blogger behind Searching For Style, says she’d stay away from buying larger statement pieces, such as a sequinned dress, unless it’s something you really love. Smaller pieces, however, have more longevity.
“A sparkly top or accessories, those kinds of things can have some degree of longevity. You can wear them clubbing in the summer or you can wear them next year,” says Suhner Isenberg. “My rule with those kinds of items is not to spend a lot of money on them. If you’re going to buy expensive products, make it be the boots you’re going to wear three times a week the whole winter. When it comes to a pair of sparkly shoes, I would never splurge on a pair of Jimmy Choos if I’m going to wear them four times. And I learned this because I have a closet full of insane shoes with sparkles or fur and I never wear them.”
Stock up on items you’d normally buy
“It’s not about finding the biggest discount,” says Suhner Isenberg. It’s about buying what you’d normally buy.
“I have a friend who always goes to this store on Main Street and stocks up on Cheap Monday jeans on Boxing Day. Even though they’re not that heavily discounted, she knows she buys them year round anyway and it’s worth it,” says Suhner Isenberg.
If you’re tempted to buy something just because it’s deeply discounted, look at the original price and ask yourself if you’d still want it at its original price. If not, chances are you don’t like it that much.
Go online for electronics
Electronics are always popular on Boxing Day and if you’re a keen shopper willing to line up early for doorcrashers, there really are some good deals to be had.
But do your homework by looking online first. You may be able to find what you’re looking for without even having to leave home.
“If you’re not able to get out, there’s always going to be great deals online,” says Janine Ball, general manager for Best Buy on Cambie Street.
Best Buy, Future Shop and The Source will start their online Boxing Day sale at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 so you can get a jump on shopping. For some chains, remember to register beforehand to set up an online shopping account to save you time on the day of.
If you prefer going to a bricks-and-mortar store, prepare ahead of time by checking the web for sneak peeks at deals over the next day or two.
Get appy
Consumer Reports magazine, considered an authoratative voice on consumer research, recommends loading up your smart phone with a few key comparison-shopping apps (such as ShopSavvy, ShopKick, and RedLaser) that will let you see special deals and compare prices while you’re in the store. Many include a bar-code scanner so you can scan a product and compare prices from other retailers. Some apps also provide coupon codes or special deals.
“If you see that an item is cheaper at a nearby store, try showing that price on your phone to a store manager and see if he or she will match that deal,” the magazine recommends.
Is that “doorbuster” up to snuff?
“Doorbusters” draw shoppers in with their low prices, but they’re not necessarily the best products for your needs. According to Consumer Reports, this is especially true of bigger-ticket electronic items such as TVs. Some doorbuster TVs, for example, are “derivative models created specially for the event, which usually have lower specs and lack features found on the manufacturer’s standard lines.”
Perhaps not an issue for a second or third TV, but you may want better performance for your main TV, says the mag. If the latter’s the case, it may be best to buy the TV you really want instead of the cheapest one.
The magazine adds that TVs typically don’t provide much margin for retailers because of intense competition. But there’s more” wiggle room” on pricier models so you may actually get a better deal if you’re able to negotiate on a higher-end TV.
Avoid the old bait-and-switch trick
“That said, if you’re really buying only on price, stick to your guns and don’t get pushed toward a more expensive model,” advises Consumer Reports. “Retailers will sometimes advertise a great deal on a certain TV but then denigrate it once you’re in the store, hoping they can push you to a more profitable model.”
Wait until January for furniture and other household items
If you’re in the market for furniture, household appliances, or just new bedding and towels, don’t rush out this week to buy them. Interior designer Andrea Johnson says the best deals are in January when retailers are clearing out for new arrivals in February.
“To me January is a good time if you’re in the market for new sofas and chairs and dining sets because things will be marked down and they’ll start to bring in new things for February so they really want to clear out,” says the Surrey-based designer and owner of Andrea Johnson Design.
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