For the first time ever in the UK, shoppers who flocked to Boxing Day sales this year were lesser. The number was significantly down from previous years on both the high streets and shopping centers. The footfall in the UK high streets declined 6.2% against the same year 2023, and in the shopping centers it declined by 4.2%, reveals MRI Software data. This shows that the online shopping trend has surpassed the happenings in the physical retail shops even on such a great day as this.
Less shoppers go out
Foot traffic was pretty soft all around in brick-and-mortar stores. Of course, there were a few hotspots, as on Oxford Street in London. But many stores were quiet for what one would expect would be an important day: the day after Christmas. Of course, a number of those famous chains had their shops closed on Boxing Day so employees could have a day off during this holiday period. That doesn’t exactly help foot traffic.
But there are others who stood up for the tradition. Lorna of Liverpool shared her Boxing Day tradition. She said it was the first time that she arrived late in the day instead of queuing since dawn. “Normally, we’re up and queuing by 5 a.m. This year, we arrived at 10:30. It’s a change, but we still wanted to experience the sales.”
Another customer, Dave, said he rarely goes shopping on Boxing Day but quipped, “I made a deal with my wife—shopping with her in exchange for her joining me at the Liverpool match.”
Pre-Pandemic Levels Still Unbeaten
In-store visits were 20.8% lower than pre-pandemic levels, a stark reminder of how shopping habits have changed in recent years. Overall, retail destinations were 4.9% lower on Boxing Day 2023.
There’s more to the fall than in foot traffic. High costs of operation, including the energy costs and overtime for holidays, make it a little more difficult for shops to remain profitable. Shops that sell online incur fewer overheads, and in some cases, are selling one day before Boxing Day comes in.
Consumer Behavior
Today, most retailers start selling online from Christmas Eve but with promotions spread throughout the year, and deep cuts at times like Black Friday in November. It’s causing “promotion fatigue,” retail experts say.
“It has lost its shine,” Natalie Berg of NBK Retail said. “Given that some Black Friday deals launched on Halloween this year-the earliest I have ever seen-it is no wonder shoppers are tired out by Boxing Day.”
These days, most consumers splurge on experiences rather than merchandise on Boxing Day, said Randel Intelligence and Insights analyst Diane Wehrle.
Online Shopping Rules
Barclays, which monitors around 40% of the country’s credit and debit card transactions, had anticipated that Brits would splurge £4.6 billion on Boxing Day this year, slightly less than £4.7 billion in 2023. Of that, the lion’s share-more than 60%-was expected to be online.
Retail parks with free parking and larger stores fared slightly better than high streets. They saw a 2.9% fall in visits from last year.
Future of Boxing Day Shopping
This old-fashioned Boxing Day spree is soon turning out to be some sort of dinosaur, analysts say. Already, retailers are in great need of a reason to hide behind closed doors on that very day, and it could so easily change with the tides of changing consumer behavior. End.
This may be how the persistent cost-of-living crisis is feeding into consumer behavior, according to Jenni Matthews, an MRI Software expert. “The decline in footfall this year stands in stark contrast to 2023, which saw a 4% year-over-year growth in foot traffic. It is reflective of broader economic pressures and changing preferences,” she said.
Though some will always hold a special place for the physical stores, convenience, variety, and competitive pricing are drawing a larger share of consumers to online shopping. With the ever-evolving nature of retailing, Boxing Day may increasingly become a day for online bargains and experiences rather than the bustling high-street tradition it once was.
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The post Boxing Day shopper numbers fall as consumers turn to the internet for shopping appeared first on Native Springs News.
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