Selfridges sees record sales of 4 million pounds on Boxing Day

Boxing Day in the UK saw a drop in shoppers for the third year in a row, but that didn't stop Selfridges from scoring a 6 percent increase on last year, taking over 4 million pounds in the first few opening hours.

Shoppers began to queue outside its Oxford Street flagship at 2:30, hoping to bag a designer bargain, with many items discounted at 50 percent. The store said it expected to see around 120,000 customers between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday while 1.5 million online shoppers visited its e-commerce store, the highest number of visits to date.

According to WWD, Selfridges saw the greatest number of sales in women’s designer accessories, women’s designer clothing, men’s wear, kids’ wear and luggage. Selfridges said men’s wear has been registering “unexpectedly high” sales growth, while women’s shoes and men’s shoes are performing well ahead of expectations.

Among the first 10 items that sold in the Boxing Day sale when doors opened were a Chloe Nile bag, which cost 804 pounds, down from 1,340 pounds; a Saint Laurent bag with a price tag of 625 pounds, down from 1,250 pounds, and a men’s Balenciaga sweater, which cost 415 pounds, reduced from 845 pounds.

Retailers in London's West End expected to see 500,000 shoppers over the day and 50 million pounds in sales

Springboard said in recent years Boxing Day had consistently seen fewer shoppers than the Black Friday sales at the end of November. The number of shoppers in the morning was said to be more than 9 percent lower than Black Friday. However, footfall does not include online sales, which made up 21 percent of retail sales in November, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive at New West End Company, representing businesses in Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, said: "International tourists are out in force driven by the weaker pound, as well as domestic shoppers who are looking for a day out after family celebrations yesterday," he said.

Photo credit: Selfridges homepage