Record-breaking Boxing Day sales expected as millions flock to shops

Bargain-hungry shoppers are tipped to splash a record amount of cash at this year’s Boxing Day sales with many queuing outside as some stores opened at 5am. Here’s where to find the best bargains.

Exclusive: Bargain-hungry shoppers are tipped to spend the biggest-ever amounts of money at today’s Boxing Day sales — more than ever before, new record-breaking figures show.

The Australian Retailers Association has predicted Australians will spend a massive $2.46 billion in just 24 hours as millions of shoppers rush to snap up heavily-discounted items both in store and online.

Some stores at 5am today and spending is expected to climb by 3.27 per cent to $2.46 billion from Boxing Day last year.

Hordes of people line up outside of The David Jones City Store during Boxing Day sales in Sydney today. Pic Jenny Evans

Ksenija Lukich rings the bell with Shawn Dooley outside of the David Jones Elizabeth St store during the Boxing Day sales on December 26, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Getty

In NSW shoppers will spend the most nationally forking out a massive $790 million on discounted items, followed by Victorians who will spend $786 million.

In the Sunshine State, Queenslanders will spend a whopping $409 million while in SA — where Boxing Day has been legislated across all parts of the state — consumers will splash $133 million.

Despite retailers running numerous sales throughout the year including on Black Friday and Cyber Monday recently, ARA executive chairman Russell Zimmerman said Boxing Day sales still remained the “bumper” sales day.

“It’s got a real buzz, people come out for it,” he said.

“We are expecting people to come out in their droves on Boxing Day to the stores.”

He said women’s footwear, men’s casual suit jackets and trousers would be a big seller, while homewares, sheets, towels and linen are expected to fly off the shelves.

Mr Zimmerman said shoppers would not only flock to bricks and mortar stores but will also be rushing to online websites to order up.

Hordes of people enter David Jones for the beginning of the Boxing Day sales in Sydney today. Picture: Jenny Evans

He has urged shoppers to get to their favourite stores as early as possible.

Myer’s retail operations director Tony Sutton said Boxing Day is their biggest trading day of the year and expects more than 2 million shoppers to stream through their 62 stores today.

“With savings of up to 70 per cent off a huge range of leading brands and products that we know our customers love it’s the best time of year to come in store and get great value and genuine savings,” he said.

One-day special offers today include: MAC makeup — 20 per cent off, Seed, French Connection, Marcs and David Lawrence — all 25 per cent off, children’s shoes — 30 per cent off, Samsonite and Antler suitcases — 40 per cent off and manchester, cookware and dinnerware — 50 per cent off.

Myer expects 20 to sell today 20,000 business shirts, 60,000 dresses, 60,000 sheet sets, 60,000 pillows and 200,000 towels.

David Jones’s general manager of menswear and kids Chris Wilson said they expect more than one million customers through the stores and more than 400,000 in NSW alone.

Some of the best savings will be up to 50 per cent off fashion and 70 per cent off homewares, small appliances and manchester.

“We expect to sell over one million business shirts, 150,000 Lego sets, 600,000 pieces of intimate apparel and hosiery and more than 45,000 gadgets,” Mr Wilson said.

Australian retail magnate Gerry Harvey encouraged shoppers to visit their stores with more sales instore and some discounts online.

“There’s no bigger day than Boxing Day,” he said.

But he said there have been a relatively flat increase to sales this year compared to previous years despite many shoppers still spending up.

Some of Harvey Norman’s best Boxing Day bargains will include a Dyson V7 stick vacuum for $347, Delongi “Eletta” automatic coffee machine for $997, discounts off TVs and 15 per cent off Bose headphones and sound bars and Sonos multi-room speakers.

@sophieelsworth

BOXING DAY SALES PREDICTIONS

Location 2018 Predictions Difference from 2017

NSW $790,169,000 +3.01%

Victoria $786,424,000 +5.23%

Qld $409,787,000 +1.88%

SA $133,418,000 +3.54%

WA $216,972,000 -0.42%

Tasmania $55,143,000 +4.07%

NT $24,576,000 +1.12%

ACT $51,609,000 +3.29%

National $2.468 billion

Source: Australian Retailers Association.