Black Friday sparks shopping blitz in Maritimes

At the Best Buy store in Dartmouth, there is a long list of Black Friday top sellers.

“VR is big this year,” said store manager Mike Belair. “A lot of electric vehicles like bikes and scooters are going to be huge.”

Also electronics and most notably TVs.

“I bought a 75-inch Samsung,” said Matt Bowman, who added he is typically not a big holiday shopper. “I usually just buy gift cards.”

An early Black Friday morning deal was too good to pass up.

“I think I saved at least $600 or $700.”

A Best Buy store during Black Friday is pictured. (Paul Hollingsworth/CTV Atlantic)

He was not alone.

Alexander Johnson works in Burnside at 8 a.m., so he arrived at the nearby Walmart just after sun up.

“I try to get my last bit of Christmas shopping done,” said Johnson, who also purchased a huge TV. “And I grabbed a couple of things for my kid.”

Depending on who you ask, the Black Friday deals were only “OK”.

“Not as good as it were in previous years,” said shopper Mitchell Ryan. “But worth coming out this early.”

In the retail and big box store industry, Black Friday for many is the start of the December shopping blitz.

“But we also started our sales a little bit earlier this year,” said Belair. “To kind of capture the start of the holiday season.”

Recent tough economic conditions, combined with inflation, means many shoppers are patiently searching for the best possible bargain.

“A lot of people have more questions,” said Belair. “They want to know, do we price match and that sort of thing?”

BMO’s Real Financial Progress Index forecasts shopping expectations in the Maritimes:

• 76 per cent plan to buy fewer gifts this holiday season;
• 27 per cent will cut down on the number of people they buy for;
• 40 per cent are not confident they can afford every item on their shopping list.

However, Michelle Wasylyshen from the Retail Council of Canada said even as shoppers exercise caution, they are still shopping in large numbers.

“We are seeing a significant amount of people who will plan to be out for Black Friday,” said Wasylyshen.

A trend that will likely hold in the weeks ahead leading to Dec. 25.

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