CHRISTMAS may be over, but thousands of Ballarat shoppers will flock to the shops this morning to find themselves a Boxing Day Bargain.
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But, according to the city’s retail experts, Boxing Day is losing its title as the token sales event of the year.
With the rise in popularity of online shopping and the increase in pre-Christmas sales, more people are opting to bag themselves a bargain on more days than one.
Stockland Wendouree centre manager Stevie Wright said she was expecting a large turnout for this year’s Boxing Day sales. But, she said, retailers were becoming savvy about when the best time was to promote bargains.
“Whilst the dates have changed slightly, the impact of value and bargain hunting and frenzy is still quite apparent and exciting,” Ms Wright said.
“Retailers are embracing the online space which accompanies the experience in the centre.”
Commerce Ballarat executive director Jodie Gillett said she encouraged residents to shop locally this Boxing Day, and that if they preferred the online shopping method to at least buy local.
“Our retailers were very happy with the lead up to Christmas and we’re hoping the Boxing Day sales will continue to be of good,” she said.
“We know that online is the way of the future and retailers need to be part of that. They need to find a way to get onto the online space.”
This year, for the first time, Target started its Boxing Day sales one day early with bargains available for purchase online as of 12.01am yesterday. The move follows Target’s Pre-Christmas Stocktake Sale which saw products throughout the store discounted by up to 50 per cent.
But, Target Ballarat store manager Andrew Cassidy said Boxing Day continued to be a tradition that customers looked forward to.
“We have recognised that our customers do like to shop in different ways, both in our stores and online, so we like to be able to offer our customers these great savings, no matter how they shop,” Mr Cassidy said.
dellaram.vreeland@fairfaxmedia.com.au