THUNDER BAY - It’s one of the busiest shopping days of the year and it can be just as exciting for staff as it is for bargain shoppers looking for that big deal.
“We plan for this day all year,” said Kelly McInnis, sales manager at Best Buy. “It’s one of the biggest days of the year so we want to get the energy up and be ready for everyone coming through that door and get them in and out as quick as possible.”
More than 50 people lined up outside Best Buy Wednesday morning as early as 5 a.m. to be ready for the 6 a.m. opening and take advantage of Boxing Day sales.
McInnis said the most popular items were TVs and cell phones. Andre Durand of Atikokan, who was first in line, had his eye on a new TV.
“A couple of years ago I came and got a TV, but my daughter put a chair through the TV a little bit ago, so I had to come and get another one,” he said. “I think there is a 58 inch I’m looking for $650.”
“I came in for this,” Durand continued. “I had to pick up a few things for other people back home.”
According to McInnis, all the deals in-store were the same online, and while many people choose to do their shopping from the comfort of their home, others still like to come in and check things out before buying.
“It’s all hands on deck on a day like today,” McInnis said. “We have all of our experts here ready to help out if you are not sure what you want to get, rather than online. If you know what you want, it can be quick and easy, but our guys are here to help.”
“You never know what kind of deals there are,” Durand said. “There might be something different.”
The lineup was a little smaller at the Power Centre, which opened at 9 a.m., but general manager, Dave Radford, said just 15 minutes in it is already turning out to be another successful Boxing Day.
“We aren’t those early starters at 6,” he said. “That just seems silly. I would rather sleep in and I now the staff want to. There was a line up out the door and they are all standing up at the till and there are more people coming in and today is going to be a great day.”
“I’ve already seen 10 or 15 TVs go out the door and we just opened the doors,” Radford continued. “We will probably a couple hundred, 300 TVs.”
As with Best Buy, Radford said the deals in-store and online were pretty much the same, but there were some door-crasher deals that were only happening today, as well as special items brought in specifically for Boxing Day.
And while a lot of people do prefer to shop online, Radford said there is still something about coming into the store, speaking with staff, and trying something out first-hand that can help shoppers make the right decision.
“You are able to come in here and find out exactly what the right product is for you, you can touch them, feel them, work the controls, and the staff can explain all the benefits of purchasing one or the other,” he said.