Black Friday emerged as the busiest shopping day in Canada for the 2024 holiday season, reclaiming its position at the peak after a series of years where pre-Christmas shopping held sway.
According to new data released by payments processor Moneris, Black Friday’s return to dominance comes after a period where earlier shopping trends, often driven by promotions and discounts, led the charge. The statistics, which track transactions from November 1 to December 31, show a notable shift in consumer behavior, likely influenced by logistics concerns such as the recent Canada Post strike. These challenges prompted shoppers to act early, propelling Black Friday to the top spot — a ranking it last held in 2021.
In contrast, Cyber Monday saw a rise in activity, climbing to the 10th spot from 17th place in 2023. However, its traffic reached only 74 percent of the volume recorded on Black Friday.
Boxing Day, a traditional retail powerhouse, lagged behind with just 46 percent of Black Friday’s transaction volume, underscoring the changing dynamics of consumer shopping habits. Despite the overlap with the federal government’s temporary tax holiday, the overall spending increase for the 2024 holiday season was modest, rising only by 2 percent compared to 2023.
This report from Moneris highlights a shift in Canadian shopping patterns, reflecting both consumer strategies and external factors shaping the retail landscape.
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