Bookseller Waterstone's is increasing the number of stores opening on Boxing Day more than five-fold after a detailed sales analysis of individual store performance.
The retailer opened 20 shops last year, compared with more than 80 on New Year's Day. However, this year it will open 107 of its 200 stores on Boxing Day, after data showed that average sales were 1.6 times higher than on New Year's Day.
'The operations department talked to branch managers in September to look at the commercial benefits of opening on a store-by-store basis and to get feedback,' said a spokeswoman.
'This shifting sales pattern suggests that consumers are moving away from the more traditional Boxing Day pursuits, towards using the day to hit the Sales and get some retail therapy.'
The change means the number of Waterstone's stores opening on Boxing Day will exceed the number opening on New Year's day by 15. End-of-year Sales will begin on Boxing Day in the shops that open.
Stores opening this Boxing Day that did not do so last year include Kensington, Trafalgar Square, Birmingham New Street, Brighton and Liverpool. Waterstone's is also opening a host of shopping centre stores on Boxing Day, such as Meadowhall, Trafford, Bluewater and Merry Hill.
WHSmith will open nearly 400 of its 550 stores on Boxing Day. A spokeswoman said the number was a 'significant increase' on last year.
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