Consumers are there for Post-Christmas despite inflation (or because of it!)

Inflation or not, many consumers have been heading to stores to get their hands on a long-coveted item that’s on sale. This year, some made sacrifices elsewhere to afford a gift, others simply made a little less purchases. One thing is certain, motivated people lined up in front of certain stores or at the checkout and The newspaper spoke to them.

A new PlayStation, but fewer restaurants

It is not inflation that has slowed down many consumers like Célina Larouche and William Esteban, who came to take advantage of a discount on the PlayStation 5 at the Best Buy at Galeries d’Anjou.

“It’s really worth the effort. Boxing Day and Black Friday are the best discounts of the year,” says M^me Larouche.

Even if “everything increases except our salaries”, M^me Larouche says she finds a way to make her big annual purchases during these sales, even though she bought a television last year.

“We cut down on going out to restaurants, and we eat at home while playing the PS5,” she adds with a laugh. (– Olivier Faucher)

Celebrate Christmas until December 26

A grandfather was one of the first to wait for the Metropolitan flea market to open its doors in order to buy video games for his grandchildren.

“I’m not buying less than in past years, but it costs more, it’s gone from $1,000 to between $1,500 and $2,000,” observes Pierre Morissette, whom we met while waiting patiently in his car for the business doors open.

Grandfather of six grandchildren, he hoped to get his hands on a Super Mario cassette to complete the Christmas presents he had already given them.

Although not all retailers on site offered promotions, some offered discounts ranging from 10% to 30% on certain products. (– Marianne Langlois)

Hunting for discounts

Why buy full price gifts when you can enjoy Boxing Day discounts? This is the motto of Isabelle, met at Place Laurier in Quebec.

Met in the queue at a video game store, she explains that she does “the majority of her purchases” the day after Christmas or during Black Friday in November. In particular, she buys gifts to give throughout the year.

She came to take advantage of a 50% discount on a game.

“At the end of the year, it makes the difference in a budget,” she notes. “For me, it doesn’t make sense to buy something at full price.”

Without saying she was particularly affected by the inflation of the last year, she says she is not “spending more than last year,” either. (– Jean-Philippe Guilbault)

More “relaxed” than last year

Boxing Day is still a very important event for many stores, including Best Buy. Last year, the sales on December 26 were more popular than those on Black Friday.

“On Black Friday, we take the opportunity to pick up gifts while on Boxing Day, we treat ourselves,” explains Rémi Sammoun, eastern regional director for Canada for Best Buy.

At the Best Buy des Galeries d’Anjou, a large line circled the store shortly before opening. At the downtown branch, however, few people were waiting to enter the store unlike in previous years.

Mr. Sammoun believes that customers are no longer as stressed by the depletion of stocks, while the inventory problems experienced during the pandemic years have been resolved this year.

“Everything is there to make the customer more relaxed when shopping,” he says. (– Olivier Faucher)

Some customers disappointed with discounts

Is Boxing Day as worth it as it was 10 or 15 years ago? Not all customers were impressed by Tuesday’s discounts.

“I think there was $60 off my television,” said Jean-Paul Chartrand, 80, who took advantage of the sale day to replace his recently broken television.

“Back then, about ten years ago, the discounts were better. For 2 to 3 years, the Boxing Day discounts have been less good,” he swears.

“There are a lot of places that say they have big sales, but aren’t reducing prices that much from usual. The AirPods I want cost $320 and are $290 today,” added a disappointed Ahmed Tahim, 22. (– Olivier Faucher)

From Gatineau to Montreal for a special gift

Parents from Gatineau did not hesitate to travel nearly 200 km to give their daughter the expensive pair of shoes she dreamed of having.

“She wanted to have Jordan 4s, so we left Gatineau early this morning to come buy her […] we heard that there were real ones here, but at half price,” exclaimed Mary-Ellen Sabourin.

Accompanied by her family, the mother was waiting, like around ten other customers, to finally be able to take advantage of the Post-Christmas sales. Having left Gatineau early this morning, they tried in vain to take advantage of the discounts offered at the “Prenium outlets” in Mirabel.

“We arrived around 8:45 a.m. and there was already a big line. We thought the stores opened at 9 a.m., but it was only at 1 p.m. We didn’t want to wait in line for four hours,” she explains. (– Marianne Langlois)

Shop “in person”

Although more and more people are shopping online, some prefer to travel.

This is the case of Jacinthe, Éric and Martine, also met at Place Laurier. Despite online discounts, the latter prefers to shop sales in person, especially for clothes she can try on on site.

“But [l’Après-Noël] it’s no longer what it once was,” observes Jacinthe. “Now, the discounts are quite stretched all year round.”

“It’s much more a form of happening where people come together to shop,” adds Éric. (– Jean-Philippe Guilbault)