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Does Canada Celebrate Black Friday?

Before 2008, Boxing Day was Canada's major shopping day, but it didn't offer the pre-Christmas sales like the Black Friday sales in the USA. As Canadians started shopping across the border to take advantage of discounts, Canadian retailers hurried to bring them back by offering matching discounts on Black Friday.

Boxing Day

Before Canadian consumers started flocking to the US for Black Friday deals, Boxing Day was the day that retailers got rid of excess stock by offering steep discounts. On the official holiday held the day after Christmas, retailers used to be able to depend upon Boxing Day to increase profits and attract customers. Back in 2007, the US dollar and the Canadian dollar had equal worth, and many Canadians shopped for Christmas deals by going to the US and hitting the Black Friday sales. Canadian retailers took notice and Black Friday was born.

It wasn't long before Canadians were spending more during Black Friday sales in Canada than they were on Boxing Day. The Retail Council of Canada surveyed shoppers in 2018 and found that only 35 percent of shoppers would be out on Boxing Day to scope out the deals, while 40 percent would be out shopping for Black Friday deals.

Sales on Black Friday

Once Canada started offering Black Friday deals, people didn't have to cross the border to snag a discount. You could find deals on electronics, kitchen items, clothing and gift items just like on Black Friday in the USA. You saved money by shopping locally because you didn't need to travel or pay additional shipping costs when buying Black Friday sales online. This helped the concept of Black Friday become as popular as Boxing Day and forced retailers to offer deals or risk losing profits and customers.

Black Friday Lines and Chaos

USA Black Friday sales are known for being chaotic. People line up in the early morning hours to avoid missing early deals, and it's not uncommon for people to argue or fight over items when the sales first hit the floor. Canada Black Friday seems to be a much more calm, polite experience as shoppers respectively file in the stores and wait in lines without arguing. While some would argue that all of the craziness is what makes Black Friday fun, most people prefer to shop in peace.

Cyber Monday Sales

Another type of holiday sale that is popular in Canada is Cyber Monday. This is the Monday following Black Friday and offers shoppers the chance to snag really good online deals. What you couldn't score on Black Friday, you may be able to find online during Cyber Monday.

Perks of Shopping in Canada

Canadians who want to take advantage of Black Friday sales need to consider the perks of keeping their money local. When you head south to shop in the states, you'll end up having to go through customs and pay duty tax on your purchases. Any products purchased in the US that fall under a manufacturer's warranty will become void in Canada. Buy staying local, you save money on duty tax and product warranties remain valid, making your local purchase more valuable in the event that the item breaks.

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