TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2023 — Has holiday spirit lost its sparkle? Not according to a recent Purolator survey, in which 64 percent of Canadians affirm that the holiday season remains their most cherished time of the year. Despite current economic pressures, 84 percent of Canadians are feeling steadfast in their holiday spirit (56 percent) or feeling more of it (28 percent) when compared to last year.
“While the last year has been tough on Canadians and their pocketbooks, it’s heartwarming that Canadians still cherish this time of year,” said Laurie Weston, General Manager, E-commerce, Purolator. “As the holidays approach, Purolator loves being part of the excitement by working hard to ensure the on-time delivery of packages and gifts, helping make the season extra special for loved ones. We also minimize stresses by offering more convenient ways to pick up and drop off your packages.”
While 52 percent of Canadians feel the holiday season is worth the stress that often comes with it, Purolator’s survey indicates Canadians are finding creative ways to simplify the holiday season:
- Effortless gifting and deals: More than four in five Canadians are looking for the best deals (87 percent) or want to make their holiday shopping feel effortless (80 percent). And almost two-thirds (63 percent) prefer shopping locally to support their community.
- Scaling back on holiday gifts: About one in four (24 percent) Canadians are scaling back on holiday gifts compared to last year with 58 percent only buying essentials during the holidays.
- Gift cards are the top gift of 2023: Many Canadians are opting to give gift cards (42 percent), clothes (29 percent) and children’s toys (24 percent), suggesting a preference for convenient and practical options.
- Family and friends first (“but not at my place!”): While spending time with friends and family is the activity Canadians are most looking forward to (62 percent), many don’t want the hassle of hosting. Only one-third (33 percent) of Canadians reported hosting as one of their most anticipated activities this year.
In addition to those holiday trends, Canadians indicated that ease of shipping and delivery (27 percent) and returns (22 percent) were among the top drivers for choosing where and how to shop this year. That’s why Purolator offers several ways to keep holiday shipping effortless, stress-free and reliable, including:
- Easy-to-use app for convenient changes to your shipment: The Purolator Your Way app lets shipment receivers set delivery preferences, like where to leave a package when it arrives. Individuals can also sign for a package directly in the app.
- Simplified return shipping: Using a designated QR code, consumers can obtain return labels at more than 2,000 Purolator shipping locations.
- Shipping where you need it, when you need it: Almost 70 percent of Canadians live within five kilometres of a Purolator shipping location. Our extensive network offers over 2,780 shipping points:
- Purolator Shipping Centres and Authorized Shipping Agents (Best Buy, Michaels, PenguinPickUp, PUDO, Staples, Swiftpost).
- 24/7 self-serve options: Purolator’s Quick Stop Kiosks, Quick Stop Pick-Up parcel lockers and Purolator Drop Boxes are available around the clock.
Customers can learn more about Purolator holiday shipping tips, send-by dates and ways to save this holiday season at purolator.com/holidays.
Research methodology:
The Purolator Holiday Survey of 1,503 Canadians aged 18 years and older was conducted by Leger between Sept. 21 and 28, 2023, using Leger's online panel. No margin of error can be associated with these non-probability samples (i.e., a web panel in this case). For comparative purposes, though, probability samples of 1,503 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.5 percent, 19 times out of 20.
About Purolator
Purolator Inc. is Canada’s leading integrated freight, package and logistics solutions provider. Celebrating over 60 years of delivering its customers’ promises, Purolator continues to expand its reach and renowned service levels and reliability to more people, more businesses and more places across the country and around the world. Purolator is proud of its Canadian heritage and is focused on sustainably positioning itself for future growth and success. Purolator is also committed to contributing to the well-being of the communities it serves and where more than 14,000 of its employees live, work and play.
Media contact:
Courtney Reistetter
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Purolator
416 407-5424
[email protected]
