From Long Lines to Online:
One in three (34%) Boxing Day Shoppers Will Make
a Portion of their Purchases Online

Ottawa, ON - As we approach one of the biggest shopping days of the year, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal, it appears that many (33%) online Canadians are avoiding long lines and making some of their Boxing Day purchases online this year.

Typically, 7% of Canadians say they `always' shop on December 26th to take advantage of Boxing Day sales and promotions, while others `sometimes' (31%) or `rarely' (33%) brave the rush. Just three in ten (29%) `never' shop on Boxing Day. As one of the best days to find a bargain, or that late holiday gift, it is no wonder that so many will make purchases on the 26th, considering that nine in ten (89%) say they typically look (50% always/40% sometimes) for ways to save on the cost of their holiday gifts.

Canadians aren't without complaints when it comes to shopping on this hectic day, however. Chief among them include dealing with the crowds and the line-ups (68%), finding out that the item they were looking for is sold out or no longer carried (11%), finding a parking spot (5%) or some other nuisance (4%). Just 8% say there's nothing about boxing day that they dislike.

• Interestingly, women (71%) are more likely than men (65%) to dislike the crowds and long lines associated with shopping in Boxing Day, and Quebecers (74%) are disproportionately likely to dislike this aspect as well.
• Women (41%) are also more likely than men (35%) to say they typically shop on Boxing Day. Compared with the rest of the country, Ontarians (45%) are the most likely to indicate that they usually shop on Boxing Day.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal from December 11 to December 12, 2008. This online survey of 1031 Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of this poll are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[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.

About Ipsos
Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999.

In 2007, Ipsos generated global revenues of e927.2 million ($1.27 billion U.S.).

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