Best 2020 Boxing Day sales and bargains online and in-store

Shoppers have snapped up Boxing Day bargains, with Australia’s multibillion-dollar buying bonanza not expected to end. See what’s on sale.

Shoppers have turned out in force to snap up Boxing Day bargains, with Australia’s multibillion-dollar buying bonanza not expected to end anytime soon.

Household goods were expected to be among the most popular purchases, with sales set to exceed the same period last year.

Australian Retail Association and Roy Morgan figures predict Australians will spend about $19.5 billion at retail stores from Boxing Day through to mid January – an increase of 3.9 per cent on the same period last year.

Shopping Centre Council of Australia director Angus Nardi said stores had been “busy but steady”.

“We know that spending per person over the Christmas period has been up and overall congestion and queuing issues have been minimal,” he said. “Customers have been practising social distancing and responding well to COVID safety requirements.”

Australian Retailers Association chief Paul Zahra said Boxing Day remained the biggest trading day of the year and it was fantastic to see people snapping up bargains and supporting businesses.

“November was the biggest month in Australia’s online shopping history, up 55 per cent on the year, and that has built strong momentum heading into the sales post-Christmas,” Mr Zahra said.

The Australian Retailers Association’s chief executive officer Paul Zahra said despite many retailers doing it tough in 2020, Boxing Day will still be “the biggest shopping day of the year”. Picture: David Swift

Myer chief customer officer Geoff Ikin said, as in other years, its stocktake sale had offered Australians the chance to save on thousands of products, with 60,000 sheet sets, 60,000 pillows and 200,000 bath towels marked down – enough manchester to fill the MCG 15.5 times or 528 Olympic swimming pools.

Clothing, footwear and accessories are also among the hordes of stock retailers will be eager to offload at heavily-discounted prices.

Shoppers are seen in Pitt Street Mall during Boxing Day Sales in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jenny Evans

“It’s a really exciting time to grab a great deal knowing also that you are contributing to the recovery of the economy, every $1 you spend in a retail job is giving somebody a job,” Mr Zahra said.

“With the cancellation of the Sydney to Hobart race on Boxing Day you’ve only two options – watch cricket or shop and most people will be shopping.

“It’s a genuine clearance, retailers are clearing out their inventory for the year and the discounts are very deep with up to 75 per cent off.”

Crowds pack Cairns Central Shopping Centre in the CBD in search for a good deal during Boxing Day sales. Picture: Peter Carruthers

Latest Australia Post data shows November was the biggest month in Australia’s online shopping history, climbing by 55.6 per cent year-on-year.

In the same month overall retail sales also rose by 13.2 per cent to $31.1 billion.

And despite the horror that has been COVID-19, Australians will likely have more cash to splash at check-outs this year.

Locally-imposed lockdowns allowed many to make important savings and Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed household wealth hit a record high last quarter.

Myer expect to sell over the post-Christmas period more than 60,000 sheet sets, 60,000 pillows and 200,000 bath towels which is enough to fill the MCG 15.5 times or 528 Olympic swimming pools.

Boxing Day shoppers in the Rundle Mall, Adelaide. Picture: Morgan Sette

Mr Ikin said social distancing, enhanced hygiene procedures and sneeze guards will be in place and for those who want to shop in store.

Melbourne shoppers Paige Henry, 18, from Keilor East and Petra Mangos, 27, from South Yarra are excited about the bargains to be had at the sales.

“Boxing Day is so iconic,” Ms Mangos said.

“I will be making the most of the offers available and restocking my wardrobe in time for a summer getaway."

Crowds at Pacific Fair during Boxing Day Sales. Pic Mike Batterham

At Highpoint and Chadstone shopping centres in Victoria, Boxing Day shoppers hit the stores early to snare the best bargains.

Teresa Rhode said attending Highpoint’s Boxing Day sales with her daughter was a tradition. The pair typically arrived at the Maribyrnong centre at 7am and spent the whole day shopping.

“We don’t usually buy Christmas gifts for each other until Boxing Day … we make a day of it,” Ms Rhode said.

Sarah Luongo arrived at Chadstone shopping centre at 6am.

“The Boxing Day sales are a novelty and tradition. We usually buy matching sleepwear and makeup among whatever else we find,” Ms Luongo said.

Chadstone manager Michael Whitehead said the centre had rostered on 140 cleaners to help keep the centre COVID-safe and clean on its busiest day of the year – at least 100 more than on regular trading days.

Boxing Day shoppers as they attend the sales at DFO Homebush. They seem to have forgotten about social distancing and covid worries. Pic: Flavio Brancaleone

David Jones regional manager Magda Combrinck said the sales should not be missed, “with incredible savings on current season stock for our customers”.

“It truly is an extraordinary opportunity for our customers to discover a wide range of fantastic David Jones offers online on Christmas Eve and instore on Boxing Day,” she said.

“This year at David Jones stores nationally and online we expect to sell over 50,000 women’s dresses and 70,000 small appliances and 85,000 units of dinnerware.”

Harvey Norman boss Gerry Harvey said TVs, air fryers and gaming consoles remain the most in demand item but and many shoppers are keen to support local manufacturers.

“When they come into the shop and you tell them an items is Australian made they want to buy it more than ever,” he said.

“Our problem is we haven’t got enough Australian manufacturers and the ones that are here are doing very well.

“We’ll be as busy as all hell on Boxing Day right across the country.”

Mr Harvey said time will tell if the sales on Boxing Day trounce those of Black Friday which was the biggest sales day so far in 2020.

BEST SHOPPING DEALS

DEPARTMENT STORES

*Big W has a Dyson V7 Animal origin being reduced from $699 to $449.

The discount department store also has also cut the price of a Vax from $238 to $167 and taken a $150 off the Dyson Ball Multi Floor which will now set you back $399.

*Harris Scarfe has halved the price of its Linda cordless handstick vacuum cleaner ($149)

*Myer has 25 per cent off its Alpha-H skincare and 20 per cent off its Benefit, M. A. C, Coco & Eve and Sand & Sky range. Instore, shoppers can expect up to 70 per cent off selected cookware, 30 per cent off women’s shoes, bags, clothing and accessories, 20 per cent on kitchen appliances and microwaves and up to 75 per cent off selected Maxwell & Williams kitchenware.

*David Jones has already posted a 38 page catalogue of savings online including heavily discounted Nespresso coffee machines and Philips Twin Turbo Air fryer reduced from $429 to $299.

*Target is slashing 20 per cent off electrical brands.

ELECTRICAL & COMPUTERS

*Bing Lee is offering $600 of selected Hisense TVs and several hundred dollars of laptops in what it calls its “sale of the year” event.

*Harvey Norman was loading up shoppers with gift cards on ‘interest free’ credit purchases.

*JB Hi-Fi, which is largely keeping its ‘discount’ cards close to its chest has a Dyson V7 Motorhead for $499.

*The Good Guys are focused on in-store bargains with 15 per cent off Weber BBQs (excludes accessories). A Dyson V7 Motorhead Cordless Vacuum for $100 less at $497 (down from $597). The Fujitsu C. 2.5kW H3.2kW Reverse Cycle Split System air conditioner for $200. Dyson’s Supersonic Hairdryer (Copper / Silver) is $499.

Samsung 533l French Door Refrigerator now $1188.

*Dell is offering up to 40 per cent off selected laptops until New Year’s Eve

*Microsoft has launched its sale online which includes noise cancelling Surface Headphones 2 for $319.

*Dick Smith, audio up to 64 per cent off, appliances up to 73 per cnet off, home and garden up to 80 per cent off, fitness trackers from $99.99, toys and gadgets up to 66 per cent off, extra 20 per cent off cooling items such as airconditioners, fans.

ONLINE

Amazon has possibly the broadest range of deals on offer, with everything from a jar of vegemite to Kindles being discounted

Amazon Devices

• All-new Echo Dot (4th Gen) for $59

• All-new Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa for $49

• Kindle E-readers from $119

• Save on select Home Security from Ring

• Save on Amazon eero mesh wifi

Household, and Kitchen

• Save on on select Eufy smart devices

• Save up to 32% off RRP on select Philips Hue smart devices

• Great prices on select Breville The 3X Bluicer Juicer/Blender, Smoked Hickory • Save up to 25% on select Maxwell & Williams Dinner Sets

• Save on select Bosch Vacuum Cleaners

• Great prices on select Miele Triflex HX1 3-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Lotus White • Save up to 40% on select Goldair , Black + Decker and Stadler Cooling Products

Tools and Garden

• Save up to 25% on select Worx Garden Power Tools

• Save 25% off RRP on select Victa Power Garden Tools

• Up to 25% off RRP on selected NOCO Boost jump starters and GENIUS battery chargers • Save up to 38% off RRP on select Bosch & Dremel

*The Iconic, 30 per cent off its “full-priced edit”.

*Click Frenzy, retailers are hosting a bunch of deals through their website

RETAIL

*Cotton On, offering 50 per cent off original prices

*Kathmandu spruiking “1000 deals added”

*Bonds has cheekily started a ‘back to school’ sale while at the same time offering Boxing Day specials with 20 per cent off ‘comfy undies’.

*Peter Alexander, up to 50 per cent off

*Peter Sheppard, up to 40 per cent off

*Jaggad, 50 to 70 per cent off

*Shein, up to 80 per cent off

*2XU, up to 50 per cent off outlet sale

*Icebreaker, 30 per cent off store/sitewide 24 Dec - 1 Jan 2021

*Saba, 20 – 50 per cent off storewide (excluding leather and vegan leather)

*Sportscraft, 20 to 50 per cent off (excluding leather) from December 27 – January 4.

*Net-A-Porter, up to 70 per cent off designer brands

*Rebecca Vallance, 20 per cent off already reduced items until January 1

*Boohoo.com, 55 per cent off everything from December 26 – 31.

*Nasty Gal, 60 per cent discount off everything from December 26 – 31.

*JAG, up to 50 per cent off is wares (excluding leather)

*MJ Bale, 25 per cent off full priced items with $399 suits and 3 for $200 business shirts from December 24 – 31

*Sheike, 20 per cent off until end of Dec 26

*Super Dry, up to 50 per cent off selected items from December 16 – 28.

*Hush Puppies, 30 to 70 per cent off everything from December 24 – December 26 11:59pm.

*Gorman, 20 – 60 per cent off from December 25 – January 1.

*Kate Spade, up to 50 per cent off all sale styles from December 25 – 28.

*Politix, up to 50 per cent off selected styles from December 25 to January 6.

*Lululemon, Boxing Day sale from December 26 – January 4.

*Clarks, 30 to 70 per cent off everything (excluding school shoes) from December 24 – December 26

*Stylerunner, up to 50 per cent off

*Aje, up to 30 per cent off

*Coach Australia, 50 per cent off outlet styles from December 23 – 28.

*Country Road, up to 50 per cent off from December 24 – January 19.

*Best & Less, deals across baby and women’s fashion.

*Princess Polly 30-70 per cent off

*Revolve up to 70 per cent off

*Sass & Bide 20 per cent off full price

*SprayAus 30 per cent off at-home tanning products

Shopback

Boxing Day all day:

The Iconic: 20% cashback

Myer: 17% cashback

December 27 from 5pm-9pm only:

Princess Polly: 20% cashback

Petal & Pup: 20% cashback

SurfStitch: 20% cashback

Nasty Gal: 20% cashback

Patpat: 20% cashback

Superdry: 20% cashback

BoohooMan: 20% cashback

Vistaprint: 20% cashback

RY: Up to 20% cashback

Gazman: 20% cashback ($15 Cap)

Facial co: Up to 20% cashback

Harvey Nichols: Up to 20% cashback

Charles & Keith: 20% cashback

Peppermayo: 20% cashback

Boohoo : 20% cashback

ECHT: 20% cashback

Lovehoney: 20% cashback

Sennheiser: 20% cashback

Wild Thoughts: 20% cashback

Elite Supps: 20% cashback

GlamCorner: 20% cashback

Gorman: 20% cashback

Dees pop up shop: 20% cashback

Dangerfield: 20% cashback

Eharmony: 60% cashback

Jo Mercer: 20% cashback

Canningvale: 20% cashback

Levis: 20% cashback

Lovisa: 20% cashback

The Oodie: 20% cashback

Pupnaps: 20% cashback

Calming Blanket: 20% cashback

Lookfantastic: Up to 20% cashback

Kiehls: 25% cashback (capped at $25)

PETS

*Pet Circle and Pebarn Boxing Day sales have up to 50 per cent off some items

BEAUTY BARGAINS

*Myer has deals on its beauty products, with 10 per cent off the Dyson Airwrap, 25 per cent off Alpha-H, 15 per cent off FOREO LUNA 3, LUNA Mini 3, BEAR and BEAR Mini. Plus take 20 per cent of Benefit Cosmetics and 50 per cent off Revlon.

*Aveda, 30 per cent off holiday sets from until stocks last. Use the code “BOXING20” at the checkout to get a a free full-size Thickening Tonic.

*Bobbi Brown, 30 per cent off selected items from December 26 – January 14.

*Estee Lauder, 30 per cent off selected sets and styles and receive a free lipstick with any lipstick or lip care buy from December 26 – 31.

*MAC, 30 per cent off from December 26 – 31.

*The Beauty Chef 20 per cent off sitewide from December 26 – 31.

*Clinique, 30 per cent off selected skincare sets from December 26 – January 10.

*YSL, 15 per cent off sitewide and 30 per cent off gift sets from December 23 – 28

*Sephora, 20 – 50 per cent off selected brands December 20 to January 19 11:50pm AEDT.

SHOPPING TIPS

• Wear a mask and carry hand sanitiser.

• Carry a bottle of water and keep hydrated.

• Always shop shoes and clothing first so you don’t miss out on your size.

• Think ahead and buy for future needs such as birthdays and other events.

@sophieelsworth

Originally published as Best 2020 Boxing Day sales and bargains online and in-store