Record-breaking Boxing Day sales expected as thousands flock to stores

Hundreds of shoppers have camped out and braved the Boxing Day crowds to snap up a bargain, with some reporting savings in the thousands. Find out where the best buys to be found today are.

Hundreds of shoppers have braved the Boxing Day crowds and even camped out overnight to snap up a bargain at Myer’s Bourke Street store.

Designer clothes, electronics and skincare were just some of the items hot on customer lists, while others just wanted the experience.

Derya Savas and her family arrived at 10pm on Christmas night to be at the front of the queue.

“A few years ago I brought my daughter and now I’ve got my son and my sister-in-law has flown in from overseas,” she said.

“We just want to get good quality things at the cheapest price.”

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Bargain hunters rush in as the doors open at 5am at the Myer Boxing Day sale. Picture: Nicole Garmston

University friends Denis, Shubham, Sanya, Rash and Anupama said they were just there for the fun of it.

“It’s less about the shopping and more about the experience,” Sanya said.

“We have no budget - it’s Boxing Day, we’ve come with our hearts open.”

The first 200 customers in line at Myer all received a gift voucher to purchase two designer items for the hugely reduced price of $99.

Shoppers queue up in the early hours of the morning for a prime spot when shops open. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Shopper Krystal Fish said she snapped up a pair of $4000 designer pants for just $100.

Youngster Violet Dunn, 12, and her mum had been in line since 3am and walked out with designer pieces from Maticevski and Victoria Beckham for under $100.

Lines snaked along Bourke Street to the corner of Elizabeth for hours before doors opened at 5am.

Crowds gathered at the main entrance for the countdown but a second door opened early, allowing a few lucky shoppers a head start.

Violet Dunn 12yo from Carnegie. Bargain hunters at the Myer Boxing Day sale, Bourke Street, Melbourne. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Shoppers also lined up outside David Jones.

But in a store-first, the department store decided this year they would open later at 7am.

A combination of online shopping and starting their sale prices a day early were the reasons behind the move.

Mt Eliza locals Tracey and Laura Butler said they had made the Boxing Day sales a tradition.

“We do it for the hell of it. It’s great mother-daughter time,” Tracey said.

“We also enjoy dragging Dad out of bed to drive us.”

Sales will continue online and in store throughout the week.

Tracey and Laura Butler from Mt Eliza are first in line at David Jones. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Bargain-hungry Victorian shoppers are tipped to splash record-breaking amounts of cash at Boxing Day sales.

The Australian Retailers Association predicts Victorians will spend $786 million in just 24 hours as millions of shoppers rush to snap up heavily discounted items in stores and online.

Chadstone was the first major mall to open today at 6am and spending is expected to climb by 3.27 per cent to $2.46 billion across the country compared to Boxing Day last year.

Despite retailers running sales throughout the year including on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, ARA executive chairman Russell Zimmerman said Boxing Day 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.”

Shoppers are storming the stores to find a bargain. Picture: Nicole Garmston

He said women’s footwear, men’s casual suit jackets and trousers would be big sellers, while homewares, sheets, towels and linen were also expected to be popular.

Mr Zimmerman said shoppers would also be rushing to websites to buy up.

He urged shoppers to get to their favourite stores early.

Myer’s retail operations ­director, Tony Sutton, said Boxing Day was their biggest trading day of the year and expected more than 2 million shoppers to stream through their 62 stores today, attracted by savings of up to 70 per cent.

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.

Bargain hunters in the designer shoe section at the Myer Boxing Day sale on Bourke St. Picture: Nicole Garmston

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

David Jones’s general manager of menswear and kids, Chris Wilson, said the chain expected more than one million customers through its stores.

Some of the best savings would 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 said sales this year had been relatively flat compared to previous years, but, “There’s no bigger day than Boxing Day.”

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

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

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Originally published as Record-breaking Boxing Day sales expected as thousands flock to stores