There’s little holiday rest for retailers ramping up for Boxing Day, one of the busiest days of the year for many stores. Lineups, door-crasher specials and undeniable deals are just some of the shopping highlights at big box stores like Best Buy.
“It’s been really busy actually,” said Alex Noble, manager of the Geek Squad service team at Kingston’s Best Buy. “We thought the weather might keep people away, but it’s been really steady.”
Best Buy saw a lineup of close to 200 people outside the store around 5 a.m.
“They went right to home theatre,” Noble said of what shoppers were looking for. “There was a 65-inch TV that was one of our doorcrashers that seemed to be the most popular this morning.”
Employees say they saw a larger-than-usual turnout with the early risers, while some were much happier to hit the snooze button before hitting the stores.
“I enjoy my sleep and the warmth under the blanket in the morning, so for me to get out of the house, I’d have to save quite a large amount of money,” said Brad Powers, shopping at Best Buy for a deal on a laptop.
A recent survey by Ipsos shows more than 70 per cent of Canadians prefer to shop online, but some Boxing Day shoppers at Best Buy noted they prefer to take a look at or try out products in person.
While many big box stores saw a steady stream of shoppers today looking for the best Boxing Day sales, many shops will continue to offer deals through the rest of the week.