The day after Thanksgiving in the U.S. usually marks the official start of the holiday shopping season for many Americans. But this year, the day known as "Black Friday" has a distinctly Canadian flavour in many shopping outlets along the U.S.-Canada border.
In New York, there are reports that Canadian licence plates are a common site at certain mall parking lots where they make up almost half the cars.
One of those shoppers was Gina Vieira, a Torontonian who headed to Walden Galleria near Buffalo in the hunt for bargains.
"Is this 75 per cent off," she asked at a Macy's department store.
"Well, then, I'll just take the rack!"
One shopper from Quebec told CTV Montreal that he jumped across the border on Thursday night to get a head start.
"I came in around 10 o'clock, scoped out the stores in advance, and then was at the stores at 4 o'clock in the morning. I slept about three hours," he said.
The reason for the influx of Canadians at American malls: the dollar's strength in comparison to the greenback. On Friday, it was down a bit (by .52 cents), but it still closed at 101.05 cents US.
Vieira said the strong loonie made the math easy.
"If it says it's US$26, it's $26, and that's just amazing,'' she said. "Normally it's `OK, it's US$26, so it's really like 30 bucks (Canadian).' Is it really worth it? Can I get it cheaper?''
Merchants along the border weren't unprepared for the rush of Canadians. Some even set up clothing bins for charities near restrooms and parking lots.
The bins were for collecting used clothing from those shoppers partaking in what can be described as Canadian shopping pastime at American malls: dumping old clothes and wearing the new ones across the border to avoid duties.
Some stores near Niagara Falls were so eager for Canadians they opened at midnight Friday to welcome shoppers staying at Ontario hotels. They were greeted with coupon packages and lots of coffee.
Early bargains
Stores opened before dawn on Friday with door-buster deals for early-risers.
Some of the deals:
- Best Buy Co., Inc. opened its doors at 5 a.m. and offered a Panasonic 42-inch 720p plasma HDTV for US$899.99;
- Staples Inc. offered up to $100 off on digital picture frames starting as low as $49.99;
- Toys "R" Us Inc. offered 101 door-busters for shoppers who got to the store between 5 a.m. and 12 noon. Deals included buy-one-get-one-free Shrek action figures and half-price American Idol games and activities (priced between $7.49 and $24.99 after discount)
- Old Navy's website boasted women's flared jeans for $14.75 and 50 per cent off men's fleece pullovers ($7.25 after discount).
Some stores tried to beat the daybreak rush by opening stores on Thursday, hoping to entice shoppers finished with their turkey feast.
Iconic toy store FAO Schwarz opened its doors at 10 a.m., Kmart employees were met with anxious coffee-guzzling retailers at 7 a.m. and Comp USA Inc. -- a large U.S.-based electronics and computer retailer -- opened for the second year in a row on Thanksgiving.
"Some people just can't wait until Friday," Kirsten Whipple, a Sears spokeswoman, told AP. "Thanksgiving dinner is done and they have moved on."
Border delays
Canadian Border Services Agency reported delays at border crossings early on Friday as Canadians head south to cash in on the Black Friday bargains.
"It is one of the busiest days that we normally have so we are taking steps to reduce delays including increasing resources and adding staff," Tracie LeBlanc, communications officer with CBSA, told CTV.ca on Friday.
The CBSA website reported a number of delays across the country Friday morning with the longest wait -- 45 minutes -- reported at the Douglas Peace Arch crossing in Surrey, B.C.
CBSA is urging shoppers to make their shopping ventures quick and to remain patient in the face of inevitable delays.
"With the high volume of cross border shoppers, delays are anticipated during peak periods when shoppers are returning during the late afternoon and in the evening on Black Friday," LeBlanc said in an email on Friday.
"The earlier in the afternoon you return from your Black Friday cross-border shopping trip, the less likely it will be that you face delays at the border."
Day trips south of the border reached a six-year high in September, according to a recent Statistics Canada report.
Canadians made 2.1 million same-day car trips in September, surpassing the two-million mark for the first time in 2007. It was the seventh straight monthly gain and the highest level since August 2001.
The loonie hit parity with the U.S. greenback on Sept. 20 putting its average monthly value at 97.5 cents US.
Black Friday could signal recession
U.S. economists are keeping an eye on spending during Black Friday for signs the country may be heading for a recession.
The day, typically marked with shopping madness, was ushered in with midnight openings, price slashes and rebates to get bargain hunters back into the stores.
"Retailers are worried because they are not sure what is going to grab the customers' attention," C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Retail Group told The Associated Press.
"Everybody believes that early specials are the most successful retail events of the year."
Retailers that cater to lower- and middle-class customers are hoping the bargains will entice shoppers back to the stores, which have been suffering due to higher gas and food prices and the housing credit crunch.
"This is their biggest chance to win at retail during Christmas season," Beemer said.
However, U.S. analysts expect sales gains for the 2007 season to be the weakest in five years.
Washington-based National Retail Federation predicted that total holiday sales will be up 4 per cent for the combined November and December period. The projected increase represents the slowest growth since a 1.3 per cent rise in 2002.
Holiday sales rose 4.6 per cent in 2006 and growth has averaged 4.8 per cent over the past 10 years.
With files from The Associated Press
