Cross-Border Santa: Par Currency A Gift For Canadian Shoppers

Toronto, ON - It appears that Santa might be wearing stars and stripes this holiday season, with a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television revealing that nearly one quarter (22%) of Canadians indicate that they'll do some holiday shopping in the United Sates either in person (11%) or online (16%). However, with the strength of the Canadian dollar driving many to shop south of the border, Canadian retailers could wind up with a lump of coal in their holiday stockings this year.

For this holiday season, Canadians expect to spend an average total of $1,164 on gifts ($652) as well as other sundries including decorations, food and entertainment ($512). However, it appears that some Canadians might be reigning in their spending since the average amount that Canadians said they were spending on these same items in 2003 was $1,485.

In fact, net spending could be down this year over last year. While two in ten (18%) say that they'll spend more money this year than they did last year, one quarter (25%) believe their holiday shopping tab will be less than last year. A majority (56%) of Canadians, though, expect to spend about the same.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1000 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Canada been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

Shopping Intentions Vary By Key Demographics...

Examining the shopping intentions of the various provinces and regions in Canada reveals some interesting comparisons:

• Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are set to spend the most on holiday gifts this season ($878), while those living in Atlantic Canada ($790), Alberta ($761), Ontario ($709), and British Columbia ($568) will spend less. Quebecers will spend the least on holiday gifts this season ($450).
• Middle-aged Canadians will likely be spending the most on gifts this holiday season ($795), while older Canadians ($571) and younger Canadians ($547) will likely spend less on holiday gifts.
• Men ($700) say that they will be spending more than women ($608) on holiday gifts.
• Those living in Alberta (19%) are the most likely to claim that they will be using the internet to buy holiday gifts from retailers in the United States. Residents of Ontario (17%), Atlantic Canada (16%), British Columbia (16%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (14%) and Quebec (11%) are less likely to say that they will be doing this.
• One quarter (26%) of younger Canadians say they'll use the internet to buy gifts from American retailers, while fewer middle-aged (14%) and older Canadians (9%) are likely to do the same. Men (21%) are also more likely than women (11%) to say this.
• Atlantic Canadians (15%), Ontarians (14%) and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (14%) are the most likely to say that they will travel to the U.S. to do some of their holiday shopping. Those living in British Columbia (9%), Alberta (7%) and Quebec (5%) are less likely to do this.
• Younger Canadians are more likely to say that they'll go to the United States to shop (17%), while middle-aged (10%) and older Canadians (7%) are less likely. Men (13%) are more likely than women (8%) to say that they'll make the trek across the border.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

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