Canadian shoppers trade long lines for online on Boxing Day

PayPal research indicates that more Canadians than ever will make a portion of their purchases online

TORONTO , Dec. 26 /CNW/ - Nearly half of online Canadians plan to do at least some of their Boxing Day shopping from the comfort of their home. It's no wonder that consumers are trading long lines for online since the overwhelming majority of Canadians (90 per cent) dislike something about Boxing Day shopping at the mall.

The recent survey, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of PayPal Canada , reveals that more consumers will look for ways to avoid the hassles associated with Boxing Day shopping in stores. Forty-one per cent of Boxing Day shoppers plan on making a portion of their purchases online, up from 34 per cent in 2008. Why are consumers going online? The overwhelming majority of Canadians (68 per cent) dislike the long lines and crowds at the mall while others (11 per cent) are frustrated to find that the item they are looking for is not carried or sold out. Some shoppers (4 per cent) barely make it into the mall because it's so hard to find a parking spot.

"Even before the holiday rush started, we knew that shoppers were looking to avoid the frustrations typically associated with this shopping period," said Nicky Mezo , head of marketing for PayPal Canada . "By teaming up with several online merchants, we're making it hassle-free for shoppers to take advantage of special Boxing Day offers from the comfort of their own home."

With more than four-in-10 Canadians typically taking advantage of Boxing Day deals and promotions, PayPal Canada has partnered with a number of online merchants, including Dell.ca, TigerDirect.ca, Newegg.ca and Overstock.com, to offer online shoppers some amazing Boxing Day deals. By using their PayPal account, shoppers can save time and money - and in some cases even get cash-back - on their Boxing Day purchases.

To get started, consumers can visit the PayPal Boxing Day microsite at: www.paypal.ca/boxingday.

When it comes to Boxing Day shopping, the survey also reveals some interesting similarities and differences among Canadians:

    
    -   There is no gender difference for Canadians looking to grab bargains
        on Boxing Day with 42 percent of both men and women looking to take
        advantage of Boxing Day deals and promotions.
    -   However, younger Canadians ages 18 to 34 are more likely to take
        advantage of Boxing Day deals and promotions than Canadians between
        the ages of 35 and 54 (61 per cent versus 41 per cent).
    -   Among all Boxing Day shoppers, men are more likely to shop online
        (51 per cent versus 41 percent). This is surprising, considering
        women are more likely to dislike the crowds and long lines associated
        with Boxing Day shopping (72 per cent versus 64 per cent).
    

For more information about the 2009 PayPal holiday promotions, and to see a full list of participating retailers, visit https://www.paypal.ca/boxingday.

Methodology

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal from October 26, 2009 to October 28, 2009 . This online survey of 1,025 Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of this poll are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

About PayPal

PayPal is the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts, credit cards or promotional financing. With more than 78 million active accounts in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global ecommerce. The company's open payment platform, PayPal X, allows developers to build innovative payment applications on multiple platforms and devices. PayPal is an eBay company. More information about the company can be found at https://www.paypal.ca.

For further information: For more information on the PayPal Canada Boxing Day promotions or to speak with PayPal about safety and security tips for Boxing Day online shopping, please contact: Nicole Tuschak, Environics Communications for PayPal Canada, [email protected], [phone]