Some lineups, but no crowds, for Black Friday in N.S.
With doors opening at 8 a.m., some shoppers did line up early at Best Buy in Dartmouth Crossing, hoping to snag Black Friday deals in person.
With about 50 shoppers waiting to be among the first to head inside, it certainly did not look like the crowds of the past.
It was, however, busier than last year - when lines were non-existent.
“Funnily enough, I came just for a phone case,” laughs Matthew Nickerson, “and then came in and seen all the deals, so I may end up buying more things that what I need to today.”
Some shoppers say they are feeling more comfortable with shopping in-store this year.
“Because I feel that I can confidently say that we're in the eighties percent of double vaccinated,” says Anthony Wiseman, “that is safer than it was when we were at the height of this, in May even.”
Retailers like Best Buy have added new shopping services during the pandemic - catering to customer comfort levels.
“They can still of course come in and shop but now we also do online offering, ship direct to customer,” says store lead Luke Gallant, “and as well they can shop from home and pick up later in-store.”
That’s one example of how the pandemic has changed how Canadians shop - although there are signs of a cautious return to the way things used to be.
According to PWC’s 2021 Canadian holiday outlook, while 53 per cent of those surveyed still expect the pandemic to negatively affect their shopping, 59 per cent plan to spend holiday shopping time in-store this year.
Consumers also expect to spend more than they did in 2020 for the holidays, at an average of $1,593.
“I do feel more comfortable out and about this year than last year, most definitely,” says shopper Joanne Walker, “I think we're a bit more protected this year too, right.”
That kind of sentiment is something the owner of the Coconut Creek boutique likes to hear - during what is still a difficult time.
“Black Friday is for businesses that are in the black,” says Tammy Flynn, “and unfortunately for small business this year, that hasn't happened.”
Flynn says her shop can't afford to put on Black Friday deals this year. She credits her background in accounting with getting her through several pandemic shutdowns. Her staff also agreed to be laid off for a period, and then returned to work when the store could re-open.
But she says the shop is still trying to recover, even as it now faces the added challenge of supply chain shortages and delays.
“So we really try to fill our shelves with local and they can supply us right now so they're getting all our space,” says Flynn.
“They've had a tough 18-19 months,” says business professor Ed McHugh.
He says while Black Friday deals in Canada have never compared to those offered in the U.S. – recent hard times means discounts on this side of the border are even less deep.
He believes while some consumers may return to in-person purchasing - online shopping will remain a dominant trend.
“And even the smaller mom and pop operations have got to figure out, do they want to compete in that e-commerce world,” says McHugh, “but ecommerce is a big part of Black Friday.”
McHugh hopes marginal improvement this year - will lead to better times ahead next year.
A hope shared by Tracy Flynn, who hopes shoppers will support local businesses more than ever – to help them weather whatever happens next with COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.