Chaos on Boxing Day as thousands of shoppers rush to the shops to grab huge discounts – after a very slow start to the morning
Crowds of people have descended on Australia’s shopping districts to grab a Boxing Day bargain, despite the cost of living squeeze tightening household budgets.
Thousands of shoppers took to the streets for the sale, with Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne packed by mid-day after a very quiet early morning.
In previous years, it was common for long lines to form from dawn, with hundreds of people clamoring to be the first to run through the doors when the shops opened.
But it appears the shift to online shopping, along with stubbornly high inflation, hasn’t dulled enthusiasm for one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
“Boxing Day is the grand finale of Australia’s favorite sport, shopping,” Australian Retailers Association boss Paul Zahra said.
The Boxing Day sales are underway across Australia, with large crowds turning out for one of the biggest shopping days of the year (Sydney pictured)
According to the Australian Retailers Association, Australians are expected to spend $1.25 billion on December 26 (Photo: Sydney shoppers)
Shoppers queued outside Pandora in Sydney’s Pitt St Mall on Tuesday
By noon, Sydney’s CBD was bustling, despite hardly anyone queuing earlier in the morning
The association estimates Australians will spend $1.25 billion on “unprecedented” bargains, with shoppers looking to stretch their dollars further during discounts and sales.
Some retail experts predict Australians will spend a lot of money in stores on Boxing Day due to cost-of-living pressures, but not despite it, choosing to find that item they were looking for at a lower price.
Although it may have caused some concern among retailers earlier in the morning as hardly anyone was seen in Sydney’s Pitt St Mall.
Melbourne’s Bourke St Mall was slightly busier, with a small crowd of about 200 people queuing outside David Jones when the store opened at 7:30 a.m. and another 100 people walking through Myer’s doors as the store opened opened half an hour later.
In both cities, it was a far cry from previous years, when extra security guards had to be hired to manage the hordes of stampede shoppers who rushed through the doors as they opened.
It may have caused retailers to worry when Sydney’s CBD seemed deserted around 7am but crowds increased
Sydney was a ghost town earlier on Tuesday morning, unlike in previous years, with shoppers queuing to be the first through the doors
The crowd outside Myer when the doors opened was subdued compared to just a few years ago
Shoppers didn’t seem too impressed with the cost of living; many were seen dragging multiple shopping bags
Suburban shopping centers could see even bigger crowds than their counterparts in the CBD, with Melbourne’s Chadstone Shopping Center expecting more than 150,000 visitors on December 26.
Australia’s largest bank expects almost one in two people to participate in the sale, with an estimated $4.6 billion spent in total.
Commonwealth Bank personal finance expert Jess Irvine said while more people are planning to shop during the Boxing Day sale than in previous years, people are planning to spend less.
The average planned expenditure this year is $475.70, compared to a planned average expenditure of $483.20 in 2022 and $557.05 in 2021.
The driving force behind shopping on Boxing Day is people aged 39 and under. This reflects data from a recent CommBank IQ report on the cost of living, which found younger Australians are feeling the most pain from rising prices.
“Australian household budgets are under pressure on multiple fronts, so it is not surprising to see individual buyers tightening their belts,” Ms Irvine said.
David Jones and Myer have been preparing for one of the biggest days in their shopping calendar.
David Jones alone expects up to a million customers through its doors and online during the week-long sales period across all departments.
For those looking for a change of scenery, Qantas and subsidiary Jetstar are offering reduced one-way fares on virtually all domestic and some international routes in the second half of 2024.
Big discounts attracted shoppers at David Jones in Pitt St, with the retailer expecting 1 million customers to shop in-store in person or online on December 26.
Many shoppers braved the crowds and the chance of rain while shopping in Sydney
Despite a shift to online shopping, people are queuing in Sydney on Boxing Day
Retail experts said Aussies will be in attendance at the sales as they look to further boost their dollar amid high inflation
As shoppers transition from Christmas, their spending behavior is also changing, Zahra says.
“In the run-up to Christmas, shoppers are focusing on buying gifts for their family and loved ones,” he said.
‘After Christmas, Australians typically turn their attention to purchases for themselves and their households, aiming to bag a bargain.’
Australians experiencing buyer’s remorse or wanting to return unwanted gifts amid the commotion are being warned by NSW Fair Trading to know their rights.
If a product is not of acceptable quality, is not as described or is not fit for purpose, customers may be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund under consumer law.
Customers have the same statutory refund rights on sale items as they do on full-price products unless they have been notified of a defect prior to purchase.
“Retailers have a responsibility to ensure their products meet the required standards, but consumers must also do their homework before buying or they could be caught out,” said Fair Trading Commissioner John Tansey.