Unlike Christmas, which as an obvious origin, I am not quite sure where Boxing Day came from.  A search on Wikipedia suggests that it was historically a day of good will where the wealthy send gifts to the less fortunate. To most Canadians today, Boxing Day is a no holds barred frenzy for bargains. Here are some tips on getting great deals on this coming Boxing Day without going insane.

1 – Do your research
Always shop in the know and do not let your guard down in the frenzy. Your local flyers will be full of ads, coupons and specials. Compare them with one another and with online shopping sites. Remember to read the fine prints: Are the quantities seriously limited? Is the item new or refurbished? Do they accept return? Just because an item is on sale doesn’t automatically make it a great deal. Boxing Day deals are often leaked online early, so scour the web for this information to get an advantage over the hordes.

2 – Take the fight online
Many Boxing Day deals are available for purchase online, and some may only be available online. Not only can you shop from the comfort of your own home instead of fighting the crowds and the cold, you’ll have a better chance at securing multiple deals since you can shop at multiple stores at once.

3 – Shop early
Stores are often open early on Boxing Day and some are even open as early as midnight. However, if you do see a must buy item that you can’t get anywhere else, you should consider going there hours before the store open and secure a good spot in the line. I don’t personally recommend this, but if you must go, dress warmly and watch for frostbite.

4 – Get onsite intelligence
Speed is everything. If you’re shopping in store, scope out locations of items you want before Boxing Day.  If deals are leaked early, some people even go to the effort of hiding those items in the store so only they can find it on Boxing Day. You mileage may vary though as some stores restock hours before the event.

5 – Divide and conquer
The best deals sell out early in the morning and you can’t be in two spots at once. So shop together with a few friends and devise a plan of attack. Come up with a list of what each person want and where each should go. Keep communications open to compare availability and pricing.

6 – Shop online while in-line
Ok, so now you are standing in line at 1am just so you can get that gadget at a giveaway price. Make your wait worthwhile by shopping online. If you have an iPhone, BlackBerry or similar device, set up tethering and use your laptop to score deals as others shiver. Just remember to charge the batteries.

7 – Look across the border
Boxing Day was never a huge event in the US, but with the dollars near parity, many US retailers will be looking for a piece of the action and will have matching sales that day. You will need to watch out for duties, brokerage and shipping, but it may still be worthwhile. You can ask the merchant for shipping and brokerage, and the CRA has duty information. Alternatively, check Wishabi’s cross-border shopping page for some of the best deals from the USA with all fees already baked in.

8 – Take advantage of credit card benefits
Even though some stores will suspend their return policy or price matching during the Boxing Day frenzy, you may still be covered by your credit cards perks. One benefit of particular interest is price protection. This means that your credit card company will refund you the difference if a product you bought drops in price in the near future. You can take advantage of this by buying the item you want at full price before Boxing Day, and then getting proof that the item is available at a lower price to claim the price protection guarantee. This is a potentially powerful strategy; just remember to read all the fine prints and limitations before executing it. The Citibank Enrich card is my personal favorite for this.

Whatever the true meaning is behind Boxing Day, just go out there and have fun. You’ll score some bargains and some may slip, but don’t take it so personally and you’ll enjoy this great Canadian shopping tradition.