Boxing Day: It’s Not Just BFCM - How Merchants Can Prepare for a Second Shopping Surge

Did you know that the holiday shopping frenzy does not end with Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) for everyone? For merchants in the UK, Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries – December 26– Boxing Day – is another major retail opportunity. This holiday drives both in-person and online traffic. If you’re already catering to customers in these regions or considering international expansion, understanding Boxing Day’s significance is crucial for optimizing revenue and minimizing risks, like chargebacks during this extended shopping season.

What is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day, celebrated the day after Christmas, originated in Victorian England under the reign of Queen Victoria. Traditionally, it was a time when the wealthy gave gifts or leftovers to their servants and gave them the day off to spend with their families. Today, Boxing Day is widely recognized in Commonwealth countries as a shopping holiday similar to BFCM. 

Retailers are known to offer massive discounts, encouraging customers to spend their Christmas money and gift cards on these post-holiday deals. Historically, this was a day bustling with in-store foot traffic, but with the rise of eCommerce, Boxing Day has shifted significantly toward online sales.

The Rise of Online Shopping

The shift from physical to digital shopping has transformed Boxing Day into 

a wonderful opportunity for eCommerce merchants. According to Economic Times, in 2023, over three-quarters of consumers opted for online shopping on Boxing Day. This trend aligns with insights from Scott Parson, COO of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, who reported a 17% decline in foot traffic at their London shopping centers compared to 2019. Parsons said, “This dwindling reliance on physical Boxing Day sales aligns with the burgeoning trend of online shopping, coupled with stores adopting Black Friday-style discount strategies.” 

This digital transformation underscores the importance for eCommerce merchants. 

The day presents an excellent opportunity to:

• Attract Post-Christmas Shoppers: Use targeted deals for customers eager to spend Christmas money or redeem gift cards.
• Clear Excess Inventory: Offer discounts to move leftover stock from earlier holiday events.
• Boost Revenue: Leverage the additional shopping surge to drive growth during what might otherwise be a slow period.

Why Merchants Everywhere Should Pay Attention to Boxing Day

Merchants must realize that Boxing Day isn’t just another holiday—rather, it's an opportunity to capitalize on post-Christmas consumer spending. Here’s why merchants should prioritize this opportunity:

• A Second Wave of Shopping: While BFCM kicks off the beginning holiday season, Boxing Day extends it, bringing customers back for another spending spree. 
• Huge Online Opportunities:  With the rise of eCommerce, merchants can tap into a global audience without needing a physical presence.
• Cross-Border Potential: For US merchants and those in non-Commonwealth regions, Boxing Day offers a gateway to expand into markets like the UK, Canada, and Australia.
• Clearance & Potential Revenue Growth: This is an ideal moment to clear inventory and maximize revenue in a post-peak period.
• Fraud and Chargeback Risks: Increased sales come with higher fraud and disputes. You can protect your business, implementing robust fraud prevention is essential. From securing payment gateways to using advanced fraud detection tools, merchants must proactively address these risks.

For actionable tips and strategies, check out our Fraud Prevention Guide, which covers the best practices to safeguard your revenue during high-traffic shopping events like Boxing Day.

Tips for Boxing Day Success

1. Extend Promotions: Keep up the momentum of BFCM going with specific Boxing-Day blowout sales to attract returning shoppers.
2. Streamline Returns and Shipping Policies: Provide clear timelines and policies to eliminate confusion and potential disputes.
3. Adopt Fraud Protection: Use advanced fraud detection tools to flag suspicious transactions in real-time.
4. Prepare for Chargebacks: Be proactive about chargeback prevention. Tools like Chargeflow can help automate the entire chargeback process, from detecting disputes to building compelling evidence, saving you time and increasing recovery rates. 
5. Analyze and Adapt: Use past sales data to anticipate trends and fine-tune your strategy for Boxing Day.

Summed Up

Boxing Day should be seen as an opportunity, not just another holiday. It’s an opportunity for merchants worldwide to boost sales, clear inventory, and connect with global markets. By preparing ahead and proactively addressing risks like fraud and chargebacks, you can turn Boxing Day into a profitable extension of the holiday season.

To help get you started, Chargeflow is offering 50 FREE Alerts to new merchants who sign up before December 31, 2024. These alerts help prevent chargebacks before they happen, ensuring your hard-earned revenue is secured during this busy shopping season.

Don’t wait– sign up today and claim your 50 FREE alerts to stay protected this Boxing Day!

Claim Your 50 Free Alerts Now!