Black Friday spending up in 2021, Shopify says; Plus, 5 of the hottest items
Shopify says shoppers broke a Black Friday record this year, with more than $2.9 billion in sales on its platforms, and a lot of shoppers got their bargains during the lunch hour.
The Ottawa-based e-commerce company says shoppers also spent more, on average, this year than they did last year, and more than two thirds of sales came from mobile devices.
The peak selling hour was 12 p.m. ET, with shoppers worldwide spending $3.1 million per minute at around 12:02 p.m. Shopify said a billion dollars in sales had already been made by 4 a.m. ET, four hours earlier than 2020.
Ottawa ranked fourth in the top five Canadian cities where shoppers were buying from, with Toronto topping the list. Calgary and Montreal were second and third, respectively, and Vancouver came in fifth. Ottawa also appeared in the top five for the most curbside pickup orders and local delivery orders.
Companies like Trexity are benefiting from that desire to have goods delivered to our doors.
“We’ve become a lot more accustomed to having things brought to us, it’s the convenience factor,” said CEO and co-founder Alok Ahuja. “But also, I think people in general are starting to value more time. I think getting things delivered is you putting a value on how important your time is.”
Shopify says its average cart price was $150.11 CAD, up from $128.50 last year, according to the company's statistics. Sixty-seven per cent of orders in Canada were made on a mobile device, up from 61 per cent. Last year's Black Friday sales total was $2.4 billion.
Clothes and accessories were the most popular items, followed by home and garden items, health and beauty products, food and beverages, and toys and games. Food and drink topped the list for local delivery orders.
Shoppers in London, England topped Shopify's global charts for sales. New York, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Chicago rounded out the top five cities worldwide.
Michelle Wasylshen, with the Retail Council of Canada, says the market is shifting to a blend of online and in-person shopping.
“Although online shopping is going to continue to be important, there’s certainly going to be a blend between the physical and online stores; that’s important now, and I think you’ll continue to see that evolve,” she explained, while adding that Black Friday's growth in 2021 is a sign people are feeling more confident. “Consumers are far more optimistic than they were last year and they have really have a strong desire to return to more normal holiday traditions and that includes shopping in stores.”
HOTTEST ITEMS IN 2021
According to Shopify, its top trending items are The Nugget couch, Luna Leggings, the HydroJug Black Friday bundle, the Luxe Core sheet set from Brooklinen, and the Perfect Pot.
The average cart price worldwide was $101.20 USD, up from $90.70 last year.
The company also says 23,000+ tonnes of carbon removal was funded to counteract emissions from the delivery of every order placed on Shopify’s platform on Black Friday
Shopify powers more than 1.7 million merchants worldwide in 175 countries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.