With online shopping continuing to be a significant part of many Canadians’ holiday preparations, e-commerce has empowered consumers with the tools to navigate a busy shopping season without having to necessarily tighten their purse strings. In fact, new data from this year’s annual FedEx Express Holiday Shopping Survey reveals that a whopping 78 per cent of Canadian holiday shoppers expect to spend the same or more this holiday season compared to last year.
“Canadians are gearing up for a busy holiday season by being smarter online shoppers, leveraging digital solutions that empower them to take ownership of their shopping experience,” said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. “Like every holiday season at FedEx, we’re ready to deliver on Canadians’ shipping needs, so they can focus on what matters most.”
Commissioned by FedEx Express Canada, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp (NYSE: FDX), and conducted by Angus Reid, the survey sheds light on Canadian consumers’ shopping intentions for this upcoming holiday season, their level of concern around affordability and steps they are taking to shop smarter amidst external financial pressures.
This year’s key survey highlights illustrate Canadians’ commitment to a good bargain, how cost is driving consumer decision-making, and how Canadians are combating package theft.
- Canadians intend to spend. Most Canadians are not letting rising costs affect their spending plans, as 78 per cent of those who plan to do holiday shopping expect to spend about the same amount or more as last year this holiday season.
- Shopping with intention. While Canadians don’t intend to change their spending plans, many are shopping with forethought and looking for the best deals to maximize spending. Nearly three-in-five holiday shoppers plan to buy gifts during major retail events this year, with Black Friday topping the list at 44 per cent.
- Canadians are early shoppers. Fifty-nine per cent of holiday shoppers intend to finish shopping by early December.
- Financial stress lingers. Economic pressures are still in the back of Canadians’ minds – 87 per cent of holiday shoppers feel that inflation and increasing prices will likely put more pressure on their holiday budget this season.
- Online tools combat package theft fears. Sixty-nine per cent of online shoppers are at least somewhat worried about package theft, an 8-point increase from last year. To combat these fears, digital tools are becoming more important. As such, 43 per cent of online shoppers rank the ability to track their packages as the single-most important feature.
Driven by the dramatic changes in online shopping and the growing prevalence of e-commerce, FedEx Express Canada has responded with a series of investments and service enhancements to ensure Canadians can rely on an outstanding experience, especially during this critical time of year.
Since June 2020, FedEx Express Canada has increased its workforce from 7,100 to over 13,335 Canadians. The company has expanded to 69 operating facilities with the addition of nearly 300,000 square feet of new sort capacity space in key markets across Canada and added an additional Boeing 757 and three ATR-72s to its domestic fleet.
A number of offerings and enhancements uniquely position FedEx and its Canadian customers for a successful, stress-free holiday season. Highlights include:
- Picture Proof of Delivery: Just in time for the holiday’s, customers and package recipients of residential driver-released deliveries will receive visual confirmation that their holiday shipments have arrived, delivering extra peace of mind. This service is applied to residential, non-signature package deliveries without requiring an account or login from the carrier or merchant.
- Expanded Delivery Operations: In various markets across the country, FedEx has expanded hours of operations for residential deliveries.
“With delivery features ranging from package scheduling to package tracking, FedEx is committed to empowering Canadians so that they can feel confident and rest easy knowing their holiday purchases will arrive safely and on time,” said Lisson.