Black Friday, Windsor style.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
Look for more deals in Windsor malls on Nov. 23 — Black Friday — as Canadian retailers adopt the traditional American shop-’til-you drop kickoff of Christmas shopping.
“We’re just starting to really get into Black Friday in Canada,” Windsor Crossing general manager Colleen Gosnell said Tuesday.
Stores at the outlet mall are indicating they will open hours earlier on Nov. 23, she said.
Gosnell said the Guess Factory Outlet will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight and other stores at the outlet mall, including Coach, The Children’s Place and Aeropostale, have said they will open at 8 a.m. instead of 10 a.m.
“I think you’re going to see a lot more deals.”
A couple of factors are pushing Canadian stores and malls to embrace Black Friday.
U.S.-based Target stores are expected to be open in Windsor in 2013 and, since they will hype Black Friday deals, stores here need to get on the Black Friday bandwagon, Gosnell said.
This year, the Canadian and U.S. dollars are close in value. Lineups at the border or at U.S. stores and the possibility that clothing can’t be returned may make shopping in Canada more enticing to Windsor shoppers, she said.
“It hasn’t been worthwhile in the past but now that we’re all trying to fight for that bottom dollar and keep Canadians in Canada we’re definitely trying to give additional discounts,” Gosnell said.
There is a consumer demand for a Canadian equivalent of Black Friday, said Devonshire Mall general manager Chris Savard.
Unlike last year, Devonshire Mall is opening earlier, with the new hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Black Friday.
Staff will be at the doors to welcome shoppers with information on the one-day-only deals and there will be a draw to win a $500 gift card.
Last year, some stores offered discounts for the post-American Thanksgiving shopping frenzy. This year, Devonshire Mall is organizing for Black Friday early and already has ballots for the draw available online and signs posted in the mall.
“For the longest time, it was always seen, I think, as an American tradition and now we’re seeing more and more Canadian consumers really kind of asking and looking for the Canadian retailer to offer something similar,” Savard said.
Many shoppers leave their Christmas shopping to the last minute, so an earlier start to holiday shopping would be welcomed by retailers, he said. Some Canadian shoppers may still want to check out deals across the border, but Savard said with longer hours and discounts here they may do both.
“There will be lots of discounts and our Canadian retailers are looking for this now to be an important retail day,” Savard said.
Devonshire Mall will post details of deals on its website a day before Black Friday.
Tecumseh Mall isn’t changing its 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours, but general manager Debra McVeety said more and more shoppers here are looking forward to Black Friday.
Deals will be posted online just before Black Friday and the shopping centre is also planning to give a $5 gift card to the first 300 people who arrive with donations of adultsize hats, coats, socks and gloves for the Street Health program.
“IT HASN’T BEEN WORTHWHILE IN THE PAST BUT NOW THAT WE’RE ALL TRYING TO FIGHT FOR THAT BOTTOM DOLLAR AND KEEP CANADIANS IN CANADA WE’RE DEFINITELY TRYING TO GIVE ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS.”
COLLEEN GOSNELL