How To Plan For Canada’s Own Black Friday Shopping Experience

This weekend is the American Thanksgiving, which is cited by airports across North America as one of the busiest travel times of the year.  Family members attempt to catch last minute flights home for the holiday, while shoppers on both sides of the border prepare for holiday sales.

Yes Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the biggest shopping days of the year, are practically synonymous with the US Thanksgiving weekend.  Department stores are jammed with hundreds, sometimes thousands of people fighting to get the best deals on holiday gifts. 

Last year, Canada introduced its own version of Black Friday.  It’s been no secret that Canadian shoppers flock to discounts on the US side of the border – the Canada Border Services Agency noted that border crossings on the Saturday following Black Friday in 2012, nearly doubled the approximate 500 cars crossing the border on any other Saturday in November.  As a result, Canadian retailers are desperately trying to keep shoppers on this side of the border.

The Black Friday phenomenon is still a new concept in Canada, and many Canadians could benefit from some helpful tips to make the day as smooth as possible.

Be Prepared

Research your favourite department stores before Black Friday begins.  This way, you can find out ahead of time what items are on sale, the expected price, and plan out your shopping route accordingly.

Make A List And Don’t Add To It

If you plan to do all your holiday shopping surrounded by the chaos of Black Friday, the trip could be very expensive without a plan.  Write down the items you decide are the priorities, and stick only to those items on the list.  You can encourage yourself to do this by leaving your credit cards at home to reduce the temptation of going over budget.

Ask Questions

There are some items that will not be marked down on Black Friday, specifically toys and electronics.  Retailers generally wait for late December blowout sales to reduce prices on these items, and you should ask store clerks if you have any questions about the prices.  You may even be able to negotiate an even lower price when paying for a discounted item, but you must ask the question – the retailer won’t just give away extra discounts.

Check The Fine Print

Black Friday sales are only eligible for exchanges rather than refunds, or in some cases could be final.  Be sure to review the fine print on signs throughout the department stores as well as on your receipt for Black Friday return policies.

Cyber Monday

If you would rather skip the crowds and do your shopping from home, you can also wait for Cyber Monday when prices for online items are also slashed.  However, you do the run risk of missing out on the item you really want if it happens to sell particularly well throughout the weekend.