As the holiday season approaches, Canadians are feeling the pressure of rising inflation on their gift-giving plans. The 2024 Givex Holiday Gift Card Survey, conducted in partnership with Angus Reid, reveals regional differences in holiday shopping habits across the country. From Ontario to British Columbia, consumers are tightening their budgets, making more strategic choices with their purchases, and increasingly relying on loyalty programs and gift cards. This survey highlights how Canadians plan to navigate the holiday season amid economic challenges and shifting consumer preferences, offering insights for retailers to tap into the evolving trends. Here’s a look at how different regions are approaching their holiday shopping this year. *
Ontario
74% of Ontarians agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans
77% of Ontarians expect to spend less on holiday shopping this year compared to last year
Ontarians plan to spend $800 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
24% of Ontarians are making holiday gift-buying decisions based on loyalty programs and rewards points
26% of Ontarians plan to spend at least $200 on gift cards this holiday season
British Columbia
72% of British Columbians agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans
78% of British Columbians expect to spend less on holiday shopping this year compared to last year
British Columbians plan to spend $850 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
23% of British Columbians are making holiday gift-buying decisions based on loyalty programs and rewards points
24% of British Columbians plan to spend at least $200 on gift cards this holiday season
28% of British Columbians feel comfortable using artificial intelligence to help them with their holiday shopping, higher than any other province in Canada.
Alberta
79% of Albertans agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans
75% of Albertans are expected to spend less on holiday shopping this year compared to last year
Albertans plan to spend $850 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
54% of Albertans would most like to receive a credit card gift card as a gift
43% of Albertans plan to start their holiday shopping earlier this year than last year, with 19% hoping to get their holiday shopping done on Black Friday and 21% planning on spending more this holiday season than last
Saskatchewan
79% of Saskatchewanians agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans
82% of Saskatchewanians plan to spend less on holiday shopping this holiday season than the last holiday season
Saskatchewanians plan to spend $750 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
25% of Saskatchewanians are making holiday gift-buying decisions based on loyalty programs and rewards points
22% of Saskatchewanians plan to spend at least $200 on gift cards, with 65% preferring to receive a credit card gift card as a gift
Manitoba
83% of Manitobans expect to spend less on holiday shopping this year compared to last year
85% of Manitobans expect to spend less on holiday shopping this year compared to last year
Manitobans plan to spend $800 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
23% of Manitobans are making holiday gift-buying decisions based on loyalty programs and rewards points
56% of Manitobans would most like to receive a gift card for necessities (such as the supermarket or gas) as a gift, the highest percentage across Canada
Quebec
62% of Quebecers agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans, the lowest percentage across Canada
Quebecers plan to spend $650 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
43% of Quebecers plan to start their holiday shopping earlier this year than last year
Atlantic Canada
76% of Atlantic Canadians agree inflation has affected their holiday gift-giving plans.
Atlantic Canadians plan to spend $800 on non-essentials like dining, gifts, travel, charitable donations and entertainment over the holidays
30% of Atlantic Canadians plan to spend at least $200 on gift cards
53% of Atlantic Canadians would most like to receive a credit card gift card as a gift, and 52% would most like to receive a gift card for retail
* These findings are from a survey conducted by Givex from September 10th to September 12th, 2024, among a representative sample of 1,525 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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