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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Primer for Canadians

First Posted: November 18, 2009

By Andrew Lau

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Black Friday Shopping Tips:

  • Black Friday and Cyber Monday are traditionally strong for computers and electronics deals – prepare accordingly and do some research!
  • Black Friday offers will probably start appearing on the week of the November 23rd, so check back often.
  • Create accounts in advance for stores that you may be shopping at. That way, you won’t be slowed down by having to create an account you're trying to check-out with a hot deal!
  • Try to check in early on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Popular deals might already be sold out if you shop in the afternoon or evening.
Black Friday, which is the Friday that follows Thanksgiving in the United States, falls on November 27 this year. It’s the US equivalent of Boxing Day, and it’s the biggest shopping day of the year for our American neighbours. With online commerce becoming so popular, Cyber Monday (the Monday that follows Black Friday), has become a huge shopping occasion as well. As the name suggests, Cyber Monday sales occur online. Black Friday and Cyber Monday mean big savings for consumers.

In the past, Canadians who live far from the border have been forced to look on and wait for Boxing Day. Canadian retailers are catching on though, and with prevalence of online shopping, we won’t have to look far to find deals on November 27 and November 30.

Last year, large retailers in Canada made a strong showing. Prominent brands like Newegg.ca, Apple.ca, Dell.ca, Bluenotes, and LaSenza all had online sales. Other retailers, like Zellers, held in-store events.

It gets better! With the strong Canadian dollar, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great opportunities to shop at US based online stores that ship to Canada. Sites like Amazon.com and KennethCole.com will certainly make a splash. Other US mainstays like Overstock.com and Saks.com didn’t previously ship to Canada, but now do.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday also mean that you may see deals that aren’t immediately accessible to Canadians – perhaps from stores that don’t ship here, or simply items that can’t be imported directly. In that event, there are companies that specialize in mail and package forwarding. Examples include Borderlinx (promoted by VISA), and MyUS.com (promoted by PayPal). Given the cost, these services aren’t a practical solution much of the time, but with the right deal, or on a specialty item you can’t normally get in Canada, they’re something to keep in mind.

Even if Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t Canadian traditions, they are as good a reason as any to hold a sale and attract customers. RedFlagDeals.com will have extensive Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage – we want Canadians to be able to shop smart and shop early. As you go around looking for deals, stop by our Black Friday in Canada forum to see what the community is buzzing about and don’t forget to use PriceCanada.com to compare prices on computers and electronics. Our list of stores that offer free shipping might also be a useful starting point.

With a little preparation and luck, you’ll be able to get some holiday shopping done early and scoop up some great deals before Boxing Day!






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