LONDON, ONT. -- An hour after opening early on Boxing Day (at 8 a.m.), a few parking spots were still available at London’s White Oaks Mall.
And while that had changed by 11 a.m., the mall did not seem as busy as in previous years some shoppers tell CTV News.
Blame online sales says Andrea Okaff at the mall spending gift cards with her daughter.
Okaff says she has many friends who’d rather click at home than browse stores in-person, but she is not one of them.
“Some people just like the convenience of doing it at home, but people like myself, I like to try it out and make sure it fits, before I buy it”.
Jeff Wilson, the general manager of the mall says Okaff’s comments echoes what his retailers hear.
“A lot of people want to test out and see their product, and that’s where the store becomes important. As well there becomes a lot of exchanges and returns, which isn’t very easy by online methods.”
Wilson says Boxing Day remains a key day for all retailers in Canada.
“What Boxing Day has going for it, is the amount of gift cards that are out in circulation after Christmas. And, a lot of people, and a lot of kids who’ve got them, want to spend that money to get their presents.”
One such ‘kid’ spending his cash and gift cards was Owen Langdon. Shopping with his mother Michelle, he purchased a Toronto Raptors jersey and new shoes.
“I saved $25 on each,” he proudly told a CTV News camera.
Still retailers and mall owners have been battling the impact of online sales for over a decade, but Wilson says White Oaks Mall stands strong.
“We are over 95 per cent capacity,” he says, adding that is typical over the five decade history of the mall.
Elsewhere in London, big-box store parking lots were also full, with many shoppers there also cashing in gift cards they collected on Christmas Day.
