The holiday shopping season has arrived earlier than ever as Canadian retailers roll out Black Friday promotions weeks ahead of the traditional post-Thanksgiving shopping event. From electronics giants to clothing retailers, companies are extending their discount periods in what appears to be a strategic response to cautious consumer spending.
At Best Buy Canada, “Black Friday” began nearly three weeks ago with advertised savings of up to 40% on televisions, laptops, and small appliances. “We’re seeing consumers plan their purchases much more carefully this year,” says Zayn Mitchell, retail analyst at Desjardins. “Retailers are responding by stretching these promotional periods to capture shoppers before their budgets are exhausted.”
The early rollout isn’t limited to electronics. Hudson’s Bay, Canadian Tire, and Sport Chek have all launched extended Black Friday campaigns, some running throughout November. Even Amazon Canada initiated its “early Black Friday deals” on November 1st, significantly earlier than previous years.
This promotional frontloading comes as Statistics Canada reports retail sales declined 0.5% in September, the third monthly drop since June. With inflation still outpacing wage growth for many households, consumers are becoming increasingly selective about their spending.
“Canadians are feeling the pinch from higher interest rates and persistent inflation,” explains Marvin Ryder, professor of marketing at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. “There’s holiday shopping fatigue setting in. People are looking for genuine value, not just discounts on inflated prices.”
Indeed, a recent Retail Council of Canada survey suggests 74% of Canadians plan to research prices more thoroughly before making purchases this year. The same survey indicates consumers expect to spend about 8% less on holiday shopping compared to 2023, averaging around $896 per person.
For small business owners like Tara Chen, who operates Three Leaves Boutique in Toronto’s Leslieville neighborhood, the extended promotional season creates challenges. “The big box stores can afford to slash prices for weeks. We’re trying to compete by offering more personalized experiences and unique products that you can’t find at the mall,” Chen tells me during a visit to her shop.
The economic environment has created unique dynamics this season. While consumer spending has softened, inventory levels at many retailers remain elevated following pandemic-era supply chain disruptions. This combination has created what RBC Capital Markets calls “the perfect conditions for deep discounting.”
But are consumers actually getting better deals with these early promotions? Price tracking data from RedFlagDeals suggests mixed results. While some items show genuine discounts, others reveal what retail insiders call “high-low pricing” – where items are marked up before being “discounted” to create the appearance of savings.
“The savviest shoppers are using price tracking tools to identify true deals,” says personal finance expert Rubina Ahmed-Haq. “Apps like Flipp or websites like CamelCamelCamel can show price histories, helping consumers determine if that ‘door crasher’ is actually a good deal.”
Several retailers I spoke with acknowledged the challenging environment but remained optimistic about holiday sales. “We’re seeing customers start their shopping earlier but making smaller purchases over time,” notes Michael Goldberg, operations director for a mid-sized retail chain in Western Canada. “They’re spreading out their spending rather than making big single-day purchases.”
This behavioral shift explains why retailers are extending promotions throughout November and likely beyond the traditional Black Friday weekend. Walmart Canada and Canadian Tire have both announced their promotions will run in “phases,” with new deals dropping weekly through December.
The trend toward earlier promotions isn’t entirely new but has accelerated dramatically post-pandemic. According to data from McKinsey & Company, the holiday shopping season has expanded from approximately six weeks in 2019 to nearly ten weeks in 2024.
For consumers, this extension offers both opportunities and challenges. “The longer promotional period gives people more time to comparison shop and budget appropriately,” says credit counselor Jessica Moorhouse. “But it also creates more opportunities to overspend if you’re not tracking your purchases carefully.”
Some retail analysts believe the extended promotional calendar may actually benefit consumers by reducing the frenzy associated with single-day shopping events. “The days of camping outside stores at midnight are largely behind us,” notes retail consultant Bruce Winder. “Spreading deals across weeks means less pressure, fewer crowds, and potentially more thoughtful purchasing decisions.”
Economic indicators suggest this holiday season will test retailers’ pricing strategies and promotional creativity. With the Bank of Canada gradually lowering interest rates, there’s cautious optimism for a spending rebound, though most economists don’t expect significant relief until well into 2025.
For now, both retailers and consumers are adapting to what appears to be a new normal – an extended holiday shopping season marked by calculated spending and strategic promotions. Whether these early Black Friday deals deliver meaningful savings or simply spread existing discount plans across more weeks remains to be seen.
What seems certain is that the traditional boundaries of Black Friday have permanently blurred, creating a marathon rather than a sprint for both retailers and shoppers navigating Canada’s evolving retail landscape.
