Dec 4, 2007

Gift of giving to cost $724 this yearBy Dana FlavelleTheStar.com

Canadians who shop on this side of the border will be doing more of it in large national chain stores, where they believe they will find better prices, more store staff and more convenient hours, a new survey says.

Altogether, Canadians said they plan to spend on average $724 on gifts this year, according to a survey conducted in October by Maritz Research. No comparable data for prior years was available as this is the first time Maritz has conducted this study, said Robert Daniel, president and managing director for Maritz Research Canada.

The survey did not ask consumers whether they planned to do any gift-shopping south of the border, a trend that has grown dramatically this fall since the Canadian dollar reached parity with the U.S. dollar for the first time in three decades.

“We really focused on spending on this side of the border. Which stores are faring best and what their share of the holiday spend is going to be,” Daniel said.

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