Hundreds of people shivered in the cold and dark for their chance to score major Boxing Day deals on big-ticket items outside the Future Shop on St. James St.

Many people, like Garrett Johnson, showed up at 3:00 a.m. “Didn’t want to have to stand way back at the end of the line, basically looking for a camera and maybe a tablet,” he said.

Johnson expected to save $300 on a digital camera.

Basically everything in the store was on sale, said operations manager Lyle Hrushowy.

The store was packed and the parking lot was full to the brim, but Hrushowy said the crowd remained civilized. “The crowd’s been very well-behaved. There’s been no issues, no pushing, they came in peacefully and went for their deals, so it’s pretty cool.”

Not everyone waiting in line had the same experience. Johnson said many shoppers who showed up first chose to wait in their cars rather than stand out in the cold, giving some people the chance to jump to the front of the line.

“Not everybody was actually standing here, so they just, since we weren’t standing here, they decided to go to the front of the line,” he said. “It’s a little irritating but oh well, you know, it happens.”

For Leriss, who was among those first standing outside the doors, an empty spot is fair game. “We were technically first in line, standing out in the cold. They were just waiting in their cars. We were like, you know, it’s Boxing Day. Come outside if you want to be here. It’s cold.”

This is Leriss’ first time coming out on Boxing Day. She was looking for a TV for her dad, and expected to save $700.

While some might take satisfaction looking back at a long line behind them, Leriss was just anxious to get home.

“I really just want to get inside and go home, get some sleep. I have two girls at home.”

Dapen Patel just wanted to see what the fuss was all about. “I’m new here so I just need to see all what’s going on. That’s it,” he said.

Patel wasn’t sure it’s all worth it. “It’s too much hard. You just can’t stay here for three hours. It’s too cold. My legs are freezing.”

The Boxing Day landscape has changed somewhat in recent years, with stores extending their sales throughout the week and offering online deals. Still, there are plenty of people clamouring to get in-store deals.  

“I’ve been doing this for quite some time,” said Hrushowy. “People still line up, but I know our online sale is huge and it’s getting bigger and bigger every year.”

Future Shop’s Boxing Day sale goes on until tomorrow, then their Boxing Week sale goes for the rest of the week.