Some Montrealers wasted no time in claiming Boxing Day sale discounts: a steady drip of people could be seen lugging TVs along Ste-Catherine Street just after 8 a.m.
The Ste-Catherine Best Buy and The Bay were the earliest openers, trying to beat the rush with an 8 o'clock start.
District manager Rémi Sammoun said that people were lining up there well before dawn.
"When I came in it was seven [o'clock], and there were around 150 people outside. People were probably lining up around 6 o'clock."
Sammoun said that rush came in spite of frigid temperatures and the threat of freezing rain.
"It's crazy, it feels good. It's a bit cold outside and we were expecting less people."
Inside the store at 9 a.m. it's buzzing, although not packed.
One couple, Agnes and Matthias, stood by the door with a brand new TV - and tired faces.
"I want some sleep," said Matthias.
"It's earlier than I go to work," observed Agnes.
According to Sammoun, the store would get much busier later in the day, as many more stores downtown weren't opening until 1 p.m.
Sammoun said that while online shopping had likely had some effect on sales, customers were still willing to visit brick-and-mortar stores for the excitement of a sale.
"People like that hype, to live it."
Outside and a few doors down, a small line formed outside a still-closed H&M store.
In line was one woman, Imelda, who was with her son and daughter.
A recent immigrant from the Philippines, she said Boxing Day sales were still a novelty for her.
"I was so excited to come here that I forgot my hat. And it's very cold. But we want to experience the big sale, and we're excited too."
While plenty of shoppers headed downtown to take advantage of sales today, most stores are offering deals through to the end of the week.