Yahoo Finance Online shopping the destination of choice for Canadians this Black Friday
It’s almost Black Friday, and you’ve got your eye on a new Kate Spade purse. You’ve got two choices: head out in the cold, fight for a parking spot, and then stand in line before the store opens so you can rush and snatch that bag from the surly-looking woman who was about to nab it first; or, you could stay in your pyjamas, go online when the sale starts, add the bag to your shopping cart, and know that your purchase will arrive in just a week or two.
Unsurprisingly, most Canadians are electing for the second option.
According to a new survey commissioned by FedEx Canada, 61 per cent of Canadians are planning to shop online for gifts this year. That’s a 16 per cent increase from last year, and includes 14 per cent of shoppers who are planning on going online to shop for the first time.
Ecommerce has seen huge growth over the last few years: while just 6 per cent of Canadian retail sales were made online in 2013, that number is expected to grow to 10 per cent by 2019, based on the current trajectory. It’s been largely facilitated by an increase in reputable online-only retailers, and improved secure payment options, like the introduction of Apple Pay for mobile devices.
There’s also the belief among the 1,522 Canadians surveyed that online shopping offers a better selection, and is overall faster and more efficient than heading out to the mall.
With the potential for so much chaos in stores, Black Friday shoppers in Canada say they’re more likely than ever to do holiday shopping online, and that’s across every age group and province.
Manitoba is the province with the highest number of online shoppers, with 75 per cent of the Manitobans surveyed saying they’ll be doing some gift shopping online this year. That’s compared to 67 per cent of B.C. residents and 63 per cent of Ontarians.
Millennials are the group most likely to get some online shopping in this weekend, with 76 per cent of those surveyed planning to make some digital purchases. Gen X’ers aren’t far behind, with 67 per cent planning on shopping online. Only 43 per cent of Baby Boomers plan to go digital, but that’s up from just 36 per cent who said they did so last year.
No matter whether you shop online this Black Friday, or opt for the in-store experience, just remember the old adage: a bargain is only a bargain if you wanted it in the first place.
