CANADA – Differences in Canadian shopping choices based on gender are captured by a new national survey from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada).
Overall the survey finds Canadians are cost-conscious and plan to spend $723 on gifts this holiday season, down 18 per cent from $884 last year.
The number of big spenders has also declined significantly compared to 2016. About a quarter (26 per cent) plan to spend more than $800 compared to 37 per cent in 2016.
Women plan to spend nearly 10 percent more than men ($754 and $691 respectively).
The survey reveals debt reduction is now a priority for 69 per cent of respondents, nearly seven in ten Canadians. Debt repayment was cited as important for 56 per cent of women and 49 per cent of men.
Also among the findings:
- More than half of Canadians (56 per cent) say they do not save throughout the year for holiday gifts. Women are more likely to save, at 37 per cent compared to 28 per cent of men.
- Most Canadians (75 per cent) do not start their holiday shopping early and almost one quarter (24 per cent) wait until the last minute.
- Thirty per cent of men report being last minute holiday shoppers, compared to 18 per cent of women.
- Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians (62 per cent of women and 55 per cent of men) do not plan on taking advantage of Boxing Day sales. Sixteen per cent of Boxing Day sale seekers plan to shop in-store and online, 15 per cent in-store only, and seven per cent online only.
- 74 per cent of respondents say they are influenced by recommendations from family and friends for their non-essential purchases.
- Women are more likely than men to indicate they are influenced by in-store advertising (52 per cent vs. 42 per cent) and social media (32 per cent vs. 21 per cent).
- Men are more likely than women to say they are influenced by television advertising (23 per cent vs. 17 per cent).
- Loyalty programs are used by 62 per cent of Canadians surveyed: 67 per cent of women report using loyalty programs compared to 56 per cent of men.
- Only 11 per cent of Canadians say they use online price comparison websites or applications.
