10 things MasterCard learned about Canadians' holiday
shopping habits
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TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2014 /CNW/ - Many of us dream of getting
some down time in December, but with the hustle and bustle of
shopping for gifts and preparing for the holidays, this time of
year can be more stressful than fun. To find out Canadians'
feelings about holiday shopping, we surveyed them coast to coast
and the results were illuminating – especially for spa owners.
Canadians are stressed this time of year!
1) Canadians haven't fully embraced Black Friday and
Cyber Monday
Just over one third of Canadians (34%) compared
to nearly two thirds of Americans (63%) shop during Black Friday
and Cyber Monday. With these busy shopping days coming up on
November 28th and
December 1st, 2014, this
week marks the unofficial kick-off to the hectic holiday shopping
season.
2) When we shop this Black Friday, we like the
"one for me, one for you" strategy
Canadians plan to spend
an average of $43 on themselves and
$44 on others this Black Friday and
Cyber Monday as compared to Americans who plan to spend
$83 on themselves and $145 on others.
3) We're shopping online more than ever, but still not
at the pace of our American friends when it comes to the
holidays
28% of Canadians plan to do half or more of their
holiday shopping online, compared to 51% of Americans.
4) However, on the whole, eCommerce in Canada is a greater total of retail sales than
in the US
Online shopping makes up 6.7% of total retail
sales in Canada, and 6.3% in the
US.[1]
5) BC residents are the biggest online holiday
shoppers
In Canada,
British Columbia leads the pack
with the most online holiday shopping, with 37% of BC respondents
saying they plan to do half or more of their holiday shopping
online.
6) Ontarians spend the most and expect the most
from their Black Friday sales
Ontarians do the most Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping in
Canada, with 37% of respondents
saying they shop during this time. They were also most likely to
spend $100 or more (19%).
Ontario residents were the most
likely to say that Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer better deals
than the rest of the year (39% as compared to 35% across
Canada).
7) We're not as big fans of giving gifts as you
might think…
We didn't ask how many Canadians enjoy
receiving gifts (although we would assume close to 100%), but we
did ask how many felt that gift giving was enjoyable, and it's not
unanimous. 68% said gift giving was an enjoyable part of the
holiday season.
8) Despite all the technology available to them,
Canadians still find holiday shopping stressful
Many
Canadians said that lines (87%) and the crowds (82%) were
stressful, with nearly half calling them "very stressful" (40% for
lines and 47% for crowds).
9) Quebec residents
are least likely to do their holiday shopping online – and they're
not stressed about the mall crowds
Quebec residents were the least likely to do
more than half of their holiday shopping online (23%), and the
least likely to find the lines at retailers (82%) and the crowds
(80%) stressful.
10) Overall we still find joy in preparing for
the holidays
When it comes to getting ready for the
holidays, Canadians found cooking (68%), entertaining (60%) and
decorating (67%) more enjoyable than stressful. Avoiding the crowds
(58%) is what Canadians thought would help them feel less stressed
this holiday season, much more than not having to cook (17%) or not
having to decorate (14%).
We're encouraging Canadians to make things easier for themselves
this year. Having a MasterCard in a pocket or on a smartphone gives
Canadians a range of options to cut time, cut stress and enjoy the
holidays.
- Speed though the check-out line. Who
wants to rummage around for cash? Keep the line moving by using a
contactless payment method like MasterCard PayPass. Just tap and
go.
- Skip the mall. Avoid the crowds this
year and shop online. When you make purchases online with your
MasterCard credit card, your information is safe and secure and you
are protected by MasterCard's Zero Liability guarantee.
- Use your smartphone. What could be
easier than shopping directly from your phone with a simple tap?
MasterCard MasterPass, a digital wallet and checkout system, saves
information from all your credit card and reward cards in one place
so you can skip entering it each time. And you benefit from the
same security protection as a regular purchase with a MasterCard
credit card.
- Treat yourself. With your shopping all
done, why not sneak in a spa day, date night, or mini-vacation?
Holiday costs can add up, but MasterCard credit card holders get
access to a host of Priceless deals to save on hotel stays, theatre
tickets and other unique experiences.
Research methodologies:
Canada:
From
November 14th to November 15th 2014
an online survey was conducted among 1,005 randomly selected
Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of
error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out
of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to
education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) Census data to ensure a
sample representative of the entire adult population of
Canada. Discrepancies in or
between totals are due to rounding.
US:
From November 14th to
November 15th 2014 an online survey was conducted among
1,012 randomly selected American adults who are also Vision
Critical American Community panel members. The margin of
error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out
of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to
education, age, gender, region, and ethnicity American Community
Survey data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult
population of America. Discrepancies in or between totals are due
to rounding.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE:
MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global
payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments
processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions,
merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries
and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday
commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a
business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more
efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardCAnws,
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[1] MasterCard SpendingPulse purchase data
SOURCE MasterCard Canada