Canadians Won’t Wait For Boxing Day Deals

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recent study shows that 40 percent of Canadians plan to shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year, almost double over those who have shopped in the past, as holiday shopping traditions – and savings – move north of the border.

“Canadian consumers are becoming acquainted with the shopping concept of Black Friday and Cyber Monday”

The study commissioned by Staples Canada, the world’s second largest online retailer, shows that more than 60 percent of Canadians expect the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to be better than Boxing Day deals.

About a quarter of Canadians intend to spend approximately $245 this year on technology products over Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is known as Black Friday and traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season, as retailers offer promotional deals to consumers. Cyber Monday follows Black Friday, and is one of the busiest online shopping days of the year, allowing consumers the opportunity to shop for great deals in the comfort of their homes.

While 84 percent of Canadians are familiar with Black Friday (November 23, 2012,) only 48 percent are aware of its counterpart, Cyber Monday (November 26.)

“Canadian consumers are becoming acquainted with the shopping concept of Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” said Craig Taylor, vice president of Staples online business at Staples Canada. “More and more, Canadians are seeking deals especially on technology during this time, and retailers are responding. For example, Staples will feature Black Friday deals on products like laptops, tablets, eReaders, cameras and gaming consoles both in-store and online.”

The survey also indicates that Canadians are using the two-day shopping tradition as a way to get ahead of their holiday buys, with 46 percent looking to save time and money on their average holiday spend.

To make it easy for shoppers, Staples Canada locations are open at 8 a.m. on Friday November 23, 2012. The retailer also offers free next day delivery on orders over $50.

A few of the tech Black Friday specials are:

HP Envy 6 Windows 7 Sleekbook for $499
Kobo Mini eReader for $49.12
XBOX 360 4GB Console and Kinect™ Sensor Bundle for $199.99
Canon EOS Rebel T3 with 18-55 mm IS Lens Bundle for $399.43

Methodology

From November 5-6, 2012, Vision Critical conducted an online survey among 1,508 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada.

About Staples Canada

Staples, Canada's largest office products company is committed to providing Canadians with a wide choice of office services and products. Serving all types of business - from the small home office to large enterprise - Staples makes it easy for customers to operate their offices efficiently and affordably by offering an extensive selection of office supplies, technology, electronics and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and maintenance, and copy and print services. Operating as Bureau en GrosMC in the province of Quebec and Staples Canada in all other provinces, the company employs over 15,000 associates at 330+ stores and at their head office in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Ranked as one of Canada's top ten Canadian companies in Marketing Magazine's Marketing/Leger 2011 Corporate Reputation Survey, Staples/Bureau en Gros is dedicated to offering customers the highest level of service, whether they choose to shop in-store, by catalogue or online. Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros also is invested in a number of corporate giving programs that actively support environmental, educational and entrepreneurial initiatives in Canadian communities from coast to coast. Visit www.staples.ca for more information, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.