Traditional scenes of Boxing Day shoppers lugging sale-priced big-screen TVs or circling their vehicles around busy parking lots played out in Victoria on Wednesday.
But there were just as many people strolling around stores with no bags and no desire to buy.
Victoria’s William Hetherington was checking out stores with children Audrey, five, and Callum, seven, at Uptown shopping centre, where some stores opened at 6 a.m.
Hetherington was at the Saanich mall with the intent of being a good family man, not a savvy consumer. “I’m killing some time and leaving the wife in bed; I’m working up some husband points,” he joked. “I think I blew them all after the Christmas party.”
Hetherington, who defines himself as an “IT nerd,” said he wouldn’t be shopping in the big-box electronic stores on Boxing Day, nor ordering online from companies such as Amazon, which he explained don’t align with his values.
Living on Vancouver Island, which he calls paradise, for 11 years since leaving Edinburgh, Scotland, Hetherington was surprised at how much the madness of Boxing Day shopping — long lineups prior to store openings, for example — has changed over the decade.
“Now it’s just like any regular Saturday,” said Hetherington. “It’s really noticeable this year.”
But at Mayfair shopping centre on Douglas Street, the surface parking lot was still crowded by 9 a.m. and packed with vehicles by 10:30 a.m.
Hudson’s Bay at Mayfair, which opened at 8 a.m., had a steady stream of shoppers at 9 a.m. perusing racks of clothes that were marked down by 50 and 60 per cent. There were lineups at the cash registers. Missing, however, was the frenzy that marked Boxing Day crowds of five and 10 years ago.
Some stores took the day off. Capital Iron in downtown Victoria, for example, was closed on Christmas and Boxing Day and continues its “Boxing Week” sale today.
Mark Stevenson, 19, of Brentwood Bay, bought a laptop cooling pad, but was motivated as much by the desire to socialize as taking advantage of sales.
“It’s kind of nice to get out with friends even if you don’t buy anything,” said Stevenson, who was with friend Trevor Chown, 19, also a resident of Brentwood Bay.
Chown said while online shopping is popular, he was turned off by longer delivery times this year. Over the past two months, mail and parcel deliveries were delayed by rotating strikes at Canada Post.
Moreover, when it comes to clothes buying, Chown said he would rather try on items than guess at their sizes online.
He was headed downtown to check out stores on Government Street, and noted crowds were a little sparse: “It’s not as bad as Black Friday, not even close.” Black Friday is the popular shopping-day name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, marked on the fourth Thursday of November.
William Hordyk, owner of Atlas audio and video store at 966 Yates St. in Victoria, said response to sales on Black Friday and Boxing Day was similar, but he predicts that will change in future years.
“Black Friday may take over in the future — time will tell,” Hordyk said. “If you were thinking of purchasing a [Christmas] gift for someone and saving some money, it’s better to buy during the Black Friday sales rather than Boxing Day, when Christmas has passed.”
Atlas, which sells mid- to high-end audio and video equipment, was selling televisions and other electronics at “door-crasher” prices designed to be competitive with other electronics and audio stores.
“We’ve sold quite a few,” said Hordyk. “I just sold one a few minutes ago — a 55-inch, 4K, high-definition TV for $599.”
The store’s owner said the foot traffic this year was down from last year, but had been consistent since the store opened at 8 a.m.
“The people coming in are not just looking but are serious buyers,” said Hordyk.
Many stores are extending Boxing Day sales throughout the week and even into the new year.
