Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
The rush to finish Christmas shopping begins with Christmas not too far away.
Online vs. In-Store shopping for the Christmas holidays has been competitive for retailers as not all Canadian Shoppers shop the same.
Today, let’s explore the pros and cons of online shopping vs. in-store Christmas shopping.
Options Are Endless This Holiday Season
Whether you pack your suitcase full of gifts and jet off on holiday to see the family or shop right at home, you can access shopping without stepping out the door.
While some people prefer to shop only in stores, many people will choose to do the majority, if not all, of their online shopping.
Tablets, smartphones, and free Wi-Fi access offered in places like Tim Hortons and McDonald’s have made online purchases convenient.
If you don’t have internet access at home, visit somewhere that does and shop til you drop.
Just be cautious about using shared Wi-Fi if it does not contain a password to sign in.
Though convenient, online shopping may not always be the best choice for your finances and Christmas budget.
Shopping From Home
Online shopping allows you to shop from the comfort of your home or anywhere you can gain online access.
By shopping online, you avoid dealing with overworked salespeople, waiting in long lineups, or driving around aimlessly looking for a parking spot.
In most cases, online shopping can be done 24 hours a day, around the clock.
I like sleeping at 2 am, but if you are up and have some online shopping, you can!
More product options may be available as shelf space isn’t limited to what the individual stores can stock.
For example, more options in your desired purchase’s color and size.
It is also much easier to avoid impulse buying when shopping online.
Products may be found cheaper as you remove the intermediary from the equation.
Product reviews are something you can always count on when shopping online.
Many very opinionated people and self-proclaimed experts out there love to leave reviews, whether they are good or bad.
Though some people may go overboard, and the reviews may seem excessive, product reviews are a great tool to use when deciding to buy online.
Google any product, and you’re guaranteed to find thousands of reviews from past customers describing their experience with the company, the shipping process, and the product.
Cash Back Online Shopping
I find shopping online easier, using Rakuten for cashback and my credit card for rewards points and discount codes.
It also allows me to compare prices more rather than shopping in-store and having to stop and check every step of the way.
Although planning to shop in-store is advisable, most shoppers often steer off the list.
Shopping In-Store
In-store shopping, especially around the holidays, can be crowded and noisy.
Choosing to shop in-store means you are limited to shopping when the stores are open.
There is also a chance of waiting in long lines, and we all know that finding a parking spot during the holiday shopping season can be stressful.
A benefit of in-store shopping is that you can physically touch, hold, try on a size, or even be given a demonstration of how the product works.
A common trend lately is under-staffed stores, which means you are more likely to find shelves cleared as there is insufficient store staff to keep on top of merchandising from the warehouse to the floor.
On the other hand, if they are adequately staffed you have, in most cases, someone who can tell you firsthand and in person the benefits or drawbacks of what you are looking to buy and may be able to offer other ideas.
Commission-based employees often have added incentives and bonuses this time of year, so you may find yourself dealing with salespeople who are a little more pushy than usual.
Price matching, where you can get the same great deal at one store in another and a potential further discount to beat the competitor’s price.
Grocery stores are not the only businesses that price-match in Canada and may be available to you based on what stores you shop in.
Unlike online shopping, where you have to wait for your purchase to be delivered, you get to leave the store with the product in hand.
Free Shipping
We all love the word free; companies know this and use it in their marketing strategies.
Free shipping sounds excellent, but be sure to consider whether you have to make a minimum purchase to obtain that said ‘free shipping’.
For example, orders over $25.00 are eligible for free shipping at Amazon.ca.
Buying something you may not have ordered otherwise to meet the minimum threshold is a way for companies to sell more products and for you to spend more money.
If you cannot meet the threshold without buying something you don’t need, maybe consider going in-store to make your purchase.
Free shipping also often means the cheapest shipping option for the company.
If you hope your purchase arrives within a few days rather than a few weeks, free shipping likely isn’t an option.
Also, remember that Amazon.ca and Walmart.ca, for example, are Canadian websites, and Amazon.com and Walmart.com are American sites.
This will affect Shipping costs, so ensure you are shopping on the appropriate site.
In-Store vs. Online Shopping
Truthfully, shopping online is probably the better option regarding product selection and information availability.
Depending on shipping costs, you will likely find better prices than in-store.
Shopping in-store and online both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Setting a spending budget and researching will benefit you no matter how you shop.
Remember price matching if you are shopping in-store and like a grocery shop plan, make a list, set your spending limit, and stay within it.
If you like to do your Christmas shopping last minute, then in-store shopping is the way to go.
When you choose to shop online, take into consideration shipping times.
Shopping earlier than later will allow your purchases to be delivered sooner and avoid being caught up or even lost in the holiday rush.
Black Friday And Cyber Monday Shopping
In recent years, Canada’s retail market has been trying to keep more of our Christmas shopping in Canada by adopting the American shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Black Friday is held on the first Friday following the American Thanksgiving.
With Thanksgiving and Halloween having passed, many refer to this as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
Stores typically open earlier than other shopping days, and the Black Friday deals are usually worth the wait in line if you brave the crowds.
Working in retail for a few years, I have seen lineups starting 10-12 hours or more before the stores plan to open and the lines wrapped around the buildings.
Many retailers will intentionally not offer these deals online in anticipation of Cyber Monday.
For people who despise crowds, long lines, and all the commotion with door-breaking deals, Cyber Monday may be when you try to score some discounted Christmas gifts.
Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
This day was created as a second day to persuade people to shop online for the holidays.
Though the deals are offered online, and you avoid waiting in line, the values may still be limited to the number of each product shown, so if you are going to shop online, shop early!
There’s no right or wrong answer here, and many Canadians consider online and in-store shopping part of their Christmas purchase power.
Discussion: Do you plan to use any Black Friday or Cyber Monday Deals? Do you prefer to shop online or in-store?
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I did most of my shopping for Christmas already – i would say 2/3 online and 1/3 in store. I took advantage of the Quiksilver family and friends discount last weekend, and got clothing for the men in my family for 30-50% off, which was pretty sweet.
I really dislike crowds and line ups so try and take advantage of deals outside black Friday and the mad Christmas rush
I would say I do a mixture of both. I also try to pick-up things year round. I don’t mind shopping in stores but the closer it gets to the holiday (40 days is way too soon!) the less I enjoy it. As you said, it’s so busy and crowded. It really takes the fun out of it. That’s when I definitely prefer online shopping. Plus, I find it easier to comparison shop when you don’t have to run from store to store.
I’m not yet comfortable with shopping online so I always head off to the store to buy something, but I do like that you mentioned online shopping prevents impulse buying – sometimes I give in to impulses and end up spending more than I like, but I guess when you’re shopping online, you can’t window shop and buy whatever meets your fancy.
I don’t Christmas shop but when I am in the US… I love the hustle bustle of Black Friday. I am sure not going out to line up in the middle of the night though. Cyber Monday is right up my alley for items that I may “want” but don’t need. 😀
As mentioned above, many holiday shoppers are increasingly shopping online. For handcrafted jewelry try
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JimDavisDesigns?ref=si_shop
I try and get some Christmas shopping done before the craze starts happening in mid December. Last year I bought most of my gifts for family online and it worked out great; I recommend ASOS for clothing and accessories because they don’t have a minimum on their worldwide shipping!
I try very hard to have any instore shopping done by the first of December. We have done both over the last few years as online shopping has gotten more popular. We will go online for Chapters, Amazon, Future shop, Staples and Sears. For all the talk of how internet savvy hubby claims to be I’m the one to do all the online shopping and setting up of accounts. This means that I’m the one that knows the passwords to these places…. a very good thing! A place like Staples just ordering ink cartridges for the printer is enough to send us over the limit for free shipping, but hubby will still have himself a nice look around the site to see if there is anything else we need( read…he sees and wants). I have yet to go for any of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals… just haven’t got there yet. Our daughter has friends that make a weekend of it for Black Friday deals going over the border.
I have had to wait to do the in store shopping a lot of years until Hubby got his Dec holiday pay. By the time that money shows up I have my lists in hand and I’m ready to go. Hopefully I can leave him at home as he does slow me down. I want to go in, get what ever and get out…the faster the better. He wants to shop…….:(…
I have some points to work with this year and a gift card coming that I will be using for shopping.
Parking can be a pain in the backside indeed. I drive an extended cab full size pick up truck, not all that easy to park at the best of times. I just head for the far side of the lot, knowing I’m not going to find anything big enough near the doors so why frustrate myself. Everyone is so concerned with getting a spot up close I have no problem finding a spot!!!
Another great article Katrina!!!!
I no longer shop for Christmas at all but, when I did, I strove to support small local businesses and individual artists and artisans. I continue to do this for the gift shopping I still do, (birthdays, weddings, baby gifts, etc.) because doing so helps to build a stronger local economy and that local economy, in its turn helps to support me. If at all possible, I avoid big box stores and name brand, mass manufactured products. The only exception to this rule that springs readily to mind are books. Even then, I prefer to seek out titles from Canadian publishing houses, written by Canadian authors.
I used to work for a Canadian eCommerce company. They’re still in business, manufacturing titanium wedding and engagement rings and selling them through their website. (I can say with some pride that they do beautiful work and have some quite exceptional designs. The company was (and is) quite small. For the longest time, I was their entire customer service department! The service was, and continues to be, very personalized. It was very satisfying work, ensuring that each ring was made to the exact specifications of the customer, and watching the products being made to order. Because of that experience, I do support small on line vendors like my former employer ,and like the many talented artisans who sell their wares through Etsy. I don’t shop on line with giant corporations unless I cannot access what I need any other way.
Great article thank you! I recently posted an article about the coming holiday season, and the shopping trends that have made things so exciting for us in the retail industry. Please check out the article!
Thanks for the insight!
I enjoyed reading the article a lot, and it helped me think about my future shopping!
I also gave my opinion:
Overall, I think that there should not be a controversy over shopping in-store or online. To tell you the truth, it is just buying things with money. However, I prefer to shop online, because there is a larger variety of things to buy as well as free shipping. It definitely saves me money on gas every month. But don’t be concerned of shopping in-store, because there are always employees available for questions, price match, and sometimes even additional discounts.
You really can save money when you shop online. Christmas and other holidays discount is just simply amazing!