Boxing Day Packs a Punch

The end of the year is full of retail shopping days that we plan for in a big way, all the way up to Christmas Day. Yet generations of UK and Canadian shoppers have grown up anticipating the day after Christmas—Boxing Day!

As a shopping event, Boxing Day is similar to Black Friday in the US and Single's Day in China, as there is a strong interest in shopping for electronics and shopping for oneself. To learn how the Boxing Day shopping fervor might be tapped by affiliate marketers, CJ Affiliate turned to Paresh Vadavia from digital marketing agency OPM Pros to understand how Canadian shoppers approach Boxing Day shopping. Based in the heart of Montreal, Canada, OPM Pros is at the forefront of Canada's growing affiliate industry and is dedicated to getting brands recognized in the Canadian market.

Relevance for Canadian Shoppers and Retailers

For Canadians today, Boxing Day is the equivalent to Black Friday when it comes to shopping for great deals. Canadian shoppers expect radically reduced prices on a variety of different products whether it's home, appliances, tech, or beauty.

If Christmas is a holiday meant to gift others, Boxing Day is dedicated to, and for, shoppers buying for themselves. A combination of excess stock, liquid cash, and a tradition of giving an entire day off with the sole purpose of receiving additional gifts, Boxing Day is literally a retailer's dream come true.

The shift to online Boxing Day deals are one of the biggest emerging trends happening in the last few years, followed quickly by extending Boxing Day to Boxing Week.

Most Popular Product Categories for Boxing Day

Larger and more expensive items such as home appliances, furniture, or large tech like TV's are more likely to be purchased on Boxing Day rather than gifted during the holidays. Also accessories for newly received gifts, like cellphones or computers, will typically be bought on the 26th. Department stores, home appliances, and tech stores do exceptionally well on Boxing Day.

Boxing Day Promotions Strike Late

Canadian's look forward to this day—it's a country-wide holiday and most people have the day off. Thus, promoting an event that people are already expecting and waiting for isn't that difficult to do. The day itself is already secured on the national calendar!

Promotions for Boxing Day tend to happen during the week prior to the 26th. Flyers, radio and television announcements, or email blasts with "leaked" Boxing Day prices tend to engage customers and prepare them for the deals they can expect to see.

How to Succeed on Boxing Day

US retailers can get Boxing Day shoppers' attention if they focus on exclusivity, competitive pricing, and clear shipping rules.

• Exclusivity: Exclusivity plays a large role in the opportunities US retailers have over their Canadian counterparts. Selling exclusive US products to a Canadian market increases the demand, which inevitably leads to sales.

• Pricing: The single biggest challenge US retailers will face in the Canadian market is the exchange rate. US retailers will have to give an exceptional deal to make their customers notice them.

• Shipping: If price reductions are off the table, US retailers can still appeal to Canadian customers by emphasizing free shipping, no customs or duty charges, or a combination of both. US retailers need to make the process of buying cross-border as seamless and easy as possible.

So, while your holiday plans might be solidified, take it from OPM Pros—experts in the Canadian market—be sure to reserve some strategy and effort towards Boxing Day. For more trends and insights around the upcoming holiday season, check out the CJ Affiliate 2016 Holiday Intelligence Report.

**Special thanks to OPM Pros for their insightful contribution to this article.