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Updated 12.29pm
RETAILERS ARE EXPECTING this to be the best Christmas for retail since 2008 as some people queued from early this morning ahead of the annual sales.
Retail Ireland is expecting a 3.5% annual rise in sales this month which is worth around €150 million extra to businesses.
“Some retailers are reporting even stronger growth,” Retail Ireland director Thomas Burke said.
“However, this is region dependent as Dublin and the other urban centres continue to lead the way over regional towns and villages that are not recording such a strong performance.”
By as early as 6am this morning, a small queue had formed outside Brown Thomas on Dublin’s Grafton Street.
Although the store didn’t open for another couple of hours, bargain-hunters were keen to ensure they were the first to take advantage of the annual St Stephen’s Day sale.
The queue grew rapidly as the morning progresses before the retail outlet opened its doors at 9am sharp.
If last year is anything to go by, it’s sure to get feisty out there.
Are you hitting the sales? Are you standing in a queue already? Let us know in the comments.
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I think they should put a ban on St. Stephen’s Day sales for the sake of the workers and preserving the Christmas break. What difference would it make to BTs to start on the 27th? And as for Next start its sales at 6am? Disgraceful.
Well said. Not fair on the staff.
Agreed john, its insane & unfair on staff that may not live in the county & cant go home for xmas as they have no way getting back.. They should let them till at least the monday let staff have a break; god knows they earned it after a busy christmas.. I’m still tucked up in bed & def won’t be attending any sales..
Agreed.My husband had to get up at 7.30 this morning to go to work.We had yesterday together and that’s it.All so people can buy stuff on sale one day earlier.
At least the supermarket I work at are only open 11-6, and everyone working today got Christmas Eve off.
The Christmas spirit is lost on Aoife, were you up for thr sales early? A little cranky perhaps?
Aoife it’s not life or death for goodness sake. It’s a sale that could wait for one more day. Retail staff work non stop up to at least 6p mon Christmas Eve and expected to be back at work early on Stephen’s Day? Actually, Applegreen didn’t even close yesterday so the Christmas spirit was a little bit lost on their staff.
If people stop turning up at these stores they will stop doing it. Unfortunately you have a breed of people who will like above queue from 6am which is pretty sad. Aldi and Lidl managed to stay closed today, it’s a pity Tesco couldn’t follow suit.
Did anybody have to phone guards to shift away those who may be forced to sleep in their doorways the other 364 days of year ??
That’s what you’re up against when you work in retail, trolls like Richard who think you’re uneducated.
I’m not back till the 4th. Did I work harder than you?
Pay no attention to him, he’s suffering from angry little man syndrome.
Maybe that is the only type of job available to them? Would they be better off turning it down and then you could come on here and call them freeloaders sponging off the state? It’s the people that pack the shops today that give the retailer the excuse to open. I cant see it being to long before somebody opens on Christmas day to see what the reaction might be.
Hi Dave, not cranky and wasn’t up for the sales. Was just stating a clear fact that they are employed for a company that requires them to work today. Simple! My job requires me to do overtime that results in 16/17 hour days sometimes, but that’s my job, have to do it!
Dick
No it’s most certainly not life and death
Yeah. I’m not back till the 5th cause I worked even harder!!…..much harder than that doctor & nurse who had to work yesterday. -stupid comment Richard
Richard get lost.
Hahahaa try telling a Dr/nurse/surgeon that too, you fool. They work 24/7
People giving out about people having to work today on a web site updated by people having to work today…..irony!
.
Richard is the uneducated person ,he has no idea what pressure is on Retail staff.Anyway the 30th is no big deal they are part of his holidays that he has no choice in taking.
No ! Some people have to take a job wherever they can get one not necessarily about choice.
Stupid statement, I’m not back till January the 4th must have worked harder in school than you so. Most people have no choice.
Beautifully put Ally
Anyone else read the first sentence in a Christmas carol voice? I agree but, leave it out
Just sad..
Why aren’t you queueing? Because you’re so rich and don’t enjoy a good bargain? That’s sad
A bargain in what? Designer handbag? If your life has become so sad that getting a handbag for €200 when it should be €250 is worth worth queuing up outside a shop overnight then you need to have a long hard look at yourself
Well said beano
What’s sad is anyone who comes onto a news site to be deliberately difficult. Nearly every story this morning includes you making some kind of stupid comment, trying to be controversial. The fact that that’s the only thing that you have to do on St Stephen’s morning. That’s sad.
@Gary completely agree with beano
Between Black Friday and Stephens Day, I don’t know when there’s an actual sale on and when it’s just a gimmick anymore
Seriously Christmas destroyed by retailers. Surely they can all close at 2 on Christmas Eve and stay closed for at least two days. Same goes for Super Markets and small convince stores.
eh Patricia, in that case i would not have been able to have my cornflakes this morning due to lack of milk. Think about it.
Destroyed by retailers, seriously? Ever hear of supply & demand Patricia. If people had the good sense not to show up the shops wouldn’t open. Essentially you’re saying that because shops open people have to go into them?
Ah… Quick shower and up I get.. ye right. Worked in pc World one year and was in on Stephens day.. hardly anything was reduced.
It’s not greed, it’s business!
What’s with all the negative $hit€ against making money, or saving a few quid for that matter?!?
wow. never understood sale. people queuing hours in bad weather to get reduced stuff, nobody wants all year advertised as bargain, so they can show other people how fancy they are. shops just do it to get rid of old stock to get new arrivals.
maybe it will be better for all to spent more time with friends and family, but what do I know?
Happy Christmas to all.
If you are going into the sales, at least be nice to the staff, as they have put up with all sorts of crap from people in the run up to Christmas day. The Christmas period is really hard on retail staff, they literally get one day and then straight back to a 6 day week….just so people can buy stuff.
Well said lorna, 6 day weeks, throw in a few 10 hour days and plenty of ignorant people and it’s a real “happy” Christmas.
Well said lorna, 6 day weeks, throw in a few 10 hour days and plenty of ignorant people and it’s a real “happy” Christmas.
The headline is a bit misleading, it could also read “five girls leaning against doors of Browne Thomas”
Saps
I been hitting my snooze button for the last half hour
Do yourself a favour and stay in bed.. it’s like hell out there.
it should be call Post Black Friday Syndrome
Is the blond outside Mick Wallace? Must be a a bargain pink shirt inside.
Sad people, I worked Stephens day for 4 years, it really takes the fun out of Christmas. Bar a few good deals there aren’t that many reductions worth the effort. Would opening for the sales a day later really hurt?
In Belgium the sales start the second of January and finish the last Saturday zero shops open on Sundays, today or their holiday days it’s great you just chill and spend time with your family.
The only way to stop this is to stop going
God forbid they have sales before Christmas…..
Ahhhh, Capitolism….buy buy buy! Don’t need this crap? Buy it anyway because you’re told that’s what the cool people on your TV buy…
Pathetic
I heard it’s mostly Chinese who re-sell them
A gaggle of morons.
Sados
what a bunch of sad brainwashed sheep, consume, consume, consume.
it’s disgusting that a retailer with the huge net profits they have for FY14/15 cannot let their staff enjoy Christmas day when they probably have to hey up for work at about 7am in stephens day.
Are we sure these were not homeless people,,,
Like the poor, the morons will always be with us!
Sheep will be sheep
Your a sad ,soulless fool if your up leaving your family so early on stephens day just for the odd bargain do it online through the day that should be enough. Your family deserves better if you feel u need to leave them straight after xmas. Fair play to workers who can actually stay sane workin today
If you’re they type of person who values a tenner off a peice of shite from Next over your family, then the family is better off without them.
Should pubs stay closed today/tonight…..
In England they do, but don’t close on Christmas Day itself!
Ops 2pm and convenience stores!
will our government start to put a tax on people queueing….welll they have taxed everything else
have your say