Boxing Day is a huge shopping holiday for Canadians and to us, it’s still bigger than Black Friday or even Cyber Monday. But just how many people are hitting the stores, and who are they are buying for? These are just two questions that BMO asked in their latest survey, trying to get a better feel for who will be hitting the malls on the big day.
As it turns out, most of us – 62 per cent – will be doing some Boxing Day shopping, but not all provinces are created equal. Alberta will see the most amount of shoppers going out today (nearly everyone at 76 per cent,) with Atlantic Canada and Ontario following close behind. The province that’s the most tired of shopping by the time Boxing Day rolls around? Quebec. Only 36 per cent of them are still motivated to go hit the stores.
Who’s doing all the buying?
Women have often given themselves a bad rep as being eager shoppers who will wait in lines all day long, and do just about anything for that new pair of shoes. As it turns out though, it’s not women but men that do most of the Boxing Day shopping – 66 per cent when compared with 58!
And who are they buying for?
Boxing Day shopping is very similar to Christmas shopping in that we often use the opportunity to purchase gifts for people that we will be seeing after, or later on in the holidays. And while many of us pick up a little something for ourselves, too, there is one difference: those personal items are planned for on Boxing Day, unlike when you’re Christmas shopping and pick up all those little spontaneous gifts for yourself.
“Boxing Day is treated by many as a shopping holiday in Canada,” says Su McVey, vice-president of BMO. “Given that the majority of Canadians plan to spend during this period, it’s essential that Boxing Day is accounted for in the overall household spending budget and not treated as a financial afterthought.”
And if you want to get even better deals next year? Start scoping for early Boxing Day sales. Many stores and retailers now start these sales early, to attract shoppers that don’t come out on Boxing Day, and to get those that are even more excited for the day!
