Canadian retailers are pushing Black Friday sales, but according to Statistics Canada, not enough to make shoppers shift their spending habits.
Retailers are extending shopping hours and offering discounts for Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving, and a traditional work day for most Canadians, but only a few retailers are expected to benefit -- at least in this country.
When Statistics Canada looked at retail spending in November, it found the share of annual retail sales in the month edged up only slightly from 2006 to 2014, from 8.4% to 8.5%.
December remains the busiest shopping month in Canada, though its share of overall sales has declined in those eight years from 9.9% to 9.3%, with Canadians having traditionally expected the best sale prices around Boxing Day.
However, the nation's number-crunchers found, a few retail sectors may prosper on Black Friday.
Spending on electronics and appliances, clothing and sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores has grown in November.
Clothing and accessories sales, such as winter coats and hats and gloves, traditionally pick up in November because that's when winter cold sets in, the researchers found.
Black Friday promotions do seem to be aiming more at electronics and appliances, Statistics Canada concluded. Sales of computer hardware and software as well as telephone and home office electronics, which are often given as gifts, has picked up in November.
December's share of annual sales at electronics and appliance stores decreased from 16.1% in 2006 to 14.5% last year, while November's share increased from 8.9% to 10.1%.
