Online shopping on the rise in Canada: Ebates.ca releases Canadian online shopping trends in time for Black Friday

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - Over half of Canadians say they are most likely to do it in the evening (55%), while 21 per cent do it in the afternoon. Almost 10 per cent of working Canadians say they are most likely to do it at the office, about six times a year. The results are clear: Canadians love online shopping and the numbers are rising.

According to research by Ebates.ca, Canada's leading cash back shopping website, 77 per cent of Canadians say they have made a purchase from a website in the past year and 32 per cent report spending more online in the past twelve months than in previous years. Additionally, one-third (32%) say they prefer shopping online as opposed to in-store, primarily because of online exclusive items and convenience.

This increasing interest in online shopping comes as no surprise to Adrienne Down Coulson, General Manager, Ebates.ca, which is marking its first anniversary in Canada. "Canadians are embracing online shopping and cash back shopping in particular.  This is a logical shift in consumer shopping behaviour given that many retailers are expanding their online offerings; just like Walmart.ca's recent expansion into online groceries. Over 500,000 Canadians have joined Ebates and our increasing membership base has helped drive over $20 million in sales to partner retailers such as Indigo.ca, Home Depot, Lenovo and Walmart.ca" says Down Coulson.

Working closely with partner retailers to bring members deep discounts also gives Ebates.ca a sneak peak at seasonal trends. From a review of current research from retailer partner Shop.ca, Ebates.ca predicts electronics, especially video games and consoles like PlayStation4, small appliances, and baby products to drive holiday sales.

Down Coulson gives these tips to holiday shoppers:

• Shop from the comfort of your home on Black Friday and Cyber Monday: It's no longer necessary to cross the border to find deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as many retailers offer the same or comparable deals online.
• Maximize your shopping budget: Use online coupons, promotion codes and a cash back shopping website to help you save even more. For example, shop through Ebates.ca on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to take advantage of double cash back offers from over 200 stores.

"Our research shows that the vast majority of Canadians who shop online find cash back shopping appealing and this thinking has translated into consumer shopping behaviour, propelling Ebates.ca's growth in Canada," says Down Coulson. "We look forward to providing our members more of what they're looking for - great deals and cash back on their favourite items."

About the Ebates.ca survey:
Ebates Canada commissioned Ignite Research to conduct an online survey of 1,000 Canadians across the country. Responses were collected from July 12 to 18, 2013.

How Ebates.ca works:
To earn cash back when shopping online, you simply begin your online shopping at Ebates.ca, click through to one of the partner retail sites like Walmart.ca, Shop.ca, or Indigo.ca, and then complete your purchase on that site. Ebates.ca then tracks your purchase and you receive a percentage of everything you buy back in cash. Then Ebates sends consumers their cash back account balance in the form of a cheque, called "The Big Fat Cheque." Alternatively customers may direct their cash back towards a designated charity.

The Ebates brand supports a strong community of millions of savvy shoppers around the world. Founded in 1998, Ebates.com has paid over $100,000,000 in cash to its global members.

SOURCE: Ebates.ca