Cross-border shopping rises despite the growing concern over debt
The holiday shopping season has officially begun. American Thanksgiving and Black Friday mark the day where stores will cut prices and hold sales; this encourages cross-border shopping. BMO surveyed 1508 Canadians and found that cross-boarder shoppers are most likely to come from Ontario, British Columbia, and the Atlantic provinces. 18 percent of people polled plan to shop in the US this year, which is significantly higher than previous years. Canadians are planning on spending $1,397 each on the holidays. With the strength of the Canadian dollar it is not surprising that Canadian are wanting to travel south for the winter.
Although Canadians will be traveling to the US for holiday shopping, many are concerned about debt. Advertisements are luring Canadians down south, but the growing thought of finances lingers in the back of their minds. Following a budget this holiday season will assist with managing finances and remaining out of debt. Canadians spending their money in the American economy could negatively impact our own economy.
Online shopping is also becoming more prominent. Customers enjoy the ability to purchase clothing, or anything for that matter, where they can remain in the comfort of their own home. The sense of security allows them to spend more, resulting in greater debt.
Works Cited:
“Cross-border Shopping to Rise, Survey Says.” CBC.ca – Canadian News. 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/11/18/cross-border-shopping-survey-bmo.html>.
Luciw, Roma. “Heading into the Holidays, Canadians Worry about Debt.” The Globe and Mail. 22 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Nov. 2011. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/home-cents/heading-into-the-holidays-canadians-worry-about-debt/article2244836/>.