January sales in December?

There was no sign of any people camping overnight or round-the-block queuing for early bargains yesterday. Boxing Day sales made the headlines in Europe’s main cities but not so much in Valletta, where the shopping mood was seen to be rather mellow. Most of the retailers are opting to wait until the gift season is over, in January. But the few high street shops in Valletta and Sliema which kicked off their sales yesterday still saw their fair share of enthusiastic shoppers. Charles Mifsud, general manager at Esprit, said that, for the past five years, his shops always started their sales on Boxing Day. “Our competitors are now online shops and it’s sale time on all major websites like Asos,” he said. To shoppers who think that sales are bigger on the continent, Mr Mifsud said: “Our sales are exactly the same as in London. We have to follow the franchise guidelines.” Esprit customers who purchased items as gifts before the sales have until the end of the year to change it at full price. Although the Accesorize outlets in the UK have started their sales, those in Malta will not do so before January. “It all depends on what sells in your territory: it’s common sense, really,” said...