While sales for some retailers have gone up from last year’s Boxing Day, the absence of big retailers at the Eastgate Centre in Inverness has kept crowds away.
December 26 is regarded as a major shopping event across the country as Christmas ends and the sales begin.
However, in recent years, due to the pandemic and the rise of online shopping, stores are failing to attract the number of customers who would previously shop on Boxing Day.
The Eastgate Centre in Inverness failed to attract the level of crowds in years past today, although footfall was higher than in both 2021 and 2020.
One possible reason could be big names Marks and Spencer and Next staying closed today.
Another popular place to go for people in the centre is Starbucks, but they stayed closed with only Costa open – and busy – for people to sit down.
It was also announced earlier this year that the new food court named Loch N Larder would open in December, however, it still remains a work in progress.
Big names closed on Boxing Day
Although some retailers found Boxing Day to be quiet, they were rushed off their feet in the run-up to Christmas.
Beverley Mackintosh, store manager at The Fragrance Shop, says in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, sales had been “insane” and “very busy”.
She said during that period, “it felt like everything was back to normal at Christmas”, referring to the number of people coming to the store following two years of lockdown.
Boxing Day for the store had been relatively quiet, however, in the two weeks before the team smashed their target for festive sales.
Ms Mackintosh says the team of six worked extremely hard throughout December, dealing with crowds and some rude customers.
While big names were closed, others were open and displaying sales signs attempting to attract people into the store.
Notably, Waterstones, HMV and H&M were very busy, with people browsing items in the sale.
While some stores were quiet, staff at Boots said the store had been busier than last year with New Look reporting the same.
Slow start, but busier than last year
Eastgate Centre manager Jackie Cuddy acknowledged that Boxing Day morning had been “slow” but eventually picked up, with more than 300 cars in the car park at one point.
However, this is much lower than pre-Christmas with December 23 being one of the busiest days with 1,000 cars in the car park.
Mrs Cuddy said some retailers are racking up sales figures close to 2019 levels but anticipates December 27 a busier day with M&S and Next due to reopen.
She said: “What the retailers are finding is the customers are coming out but it is mainly people with Christmas money and vouchers that are shopping.
“I think people pushed the boat out at Christmas because of all the doom and gloom and spent a lot of money on Christmas, so its a slow start for the sale, but everybody expected that.”
Mrs Cuddy says M&S and Next believe they will still get the footfall when it comes to sales, despite staying closed on Boxing Day.
She says Christmas this year for retailers has been a lot busier than during the pandemic and “there were some days it felt like it used to”.
Management at Union Square in Aberdeen echoed the views from Eastgate, believing the days of a big rush on Boxing Day are gone.
Instead, shoppers are expected to spend their money throughout the week instead of on the one day.
Inverness High Street was also quiet, with stores like Slaters and WH Smith closed while others like Poundland, Superdrug and Primark were open and busy.
At Inverness Retail Park, there were more customers as Tesco was open, with people checking out the sales at River Island, Sports Direct and Argos, while Next remained closed.
No mad rush for Boxing Day bargains in Aberdeen as major shops remain closed until tomorrow
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