For Harley Finkelstein, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are akin to the Super Bowl.

Staff at his e-commerce software company Shopify Inc. start preparing for the big week during the summer by stress-testing systems and ensuring checkout will be as seamless as possible for the firmB次元官网网址檚 thousands of merchants during the November shopping stretch.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 sleep for that five-day period,B次元官网网址� said Finkelstein, ShopifyB次元官网网址檚 president.

B次元官网网址淢y wife knows about it. My kids know about it. I am in full Black Friday, Cyber Monday mode.B次元官网网址�

This year the e-commerce heavyweight expects the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period to be just as frenzied, but something will be different: shoppersB次元官网网址� moods.

Inflation, high interest rates and layoffs are weighing on wallets B次元官网网址� and Finkelstein thinks it will make shoppers more intentional about what they buy.

B次元官网网址淚 think B次元官网网址榣ess but betterB次元官网网址� is probably going to be one of the themes,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淢ore quality, less quantity, not necessarily buying 15 pieces of product, but rather buy three that are more meaningful to you.B次元官网网址�

Spending across the entire holiday season will average $1,347 this year, down 11 per cent from last year, according to Deloitte. The consultancy firm said this drop represents shoppers making B次元官网网址渇ewer splurges and more thoughtful purchases across the board.B次元官网网址�

When Shopify zeroed in on Black Friday and Cyber Monday alone, its data showed the average Canadian consumer plans to spend $291 B次元官网网址� the second highest amount globally after the United States.

The majority of Canadian shoppers B次元官网网址� some 70 per cent B次元官网网址� said they would spend the same or more on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year as last year.

About eight in 10, or 84 per cent, of the 2,000 Canadian shoppers Shopify surveyed in September said they want higher-quality products that will last for a long time. ThatB次元官网网址檚 up from 74 per cent who sought higher-quality goods in 2022.

Finkelstein considers this a sign that consumers are fuelling a B次元官网网址渟hift to valueB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a move heB次元官网网址檚 even noticed when heB次元官网网址檚 filling his own closet.

The black James Perse T-shirt he likes wearing, for example, retails for $70.

B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 a much higher-quality T-shirt than the $10 T-shirt, so youB次元官网网址檙e not buying 10 of them, youB次元官网网址檙e buying three of them, and (IB次元官网网址檝e) had this T-shirt for years now,B次元官网网址� Finkelstein said.

Lisa Hutcheson, a retail strategist with J.C. Williams Group, similarly foresees shoppers being even more strategic and savvy this year.

She expects those planning a big purchase to hold off until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to see what deals materialize.

B次元官网网址淓verybodyB次元官网网址檚 sort of trying to stretch their dollar and being very conscious of what their budgets look like this year,B次元官网网址� she said.

ShopifyB次元官网网址檚 survey uncovered that about 49 per cent of respondents are putting aside more money each month than they have in previous years, and 46 per cent intend to spend more over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend.

About 84 per cent of those earning between $53,000 and $75,000 a year and 81 per cent of those with a household income of at least $113,000 said they are more likely to shop during Black Friday and Cyber Monday to get greater value, the data showed.

Many will put more emphasis on incentives B次元官网网址� free shipping, longer return periods, bonus loyalty program points B次元官网网址� and if such benefits arrive before Black Friday, they wonB次元官网网址檛 wait to make a purchase, Hutcheson said.

B次元官网网址淧eople are starting earlier, theyB次元官网网址檙e trying to spread their dollars out versus having this huge bill,B次元官网网址� Hutcheson.

Such habits contribute to a trend the retail industry has been noticing for several years: the Black Friday shopping period is becoming longer than ever.

Rather than one day of sales in store followed by Cyber MondayB次元官网网址檚 online bonanza, the shopping period has now become a full week at many retailers. Some get the sales started days in advance, while others stretch it out into a month-long affair.

Mountain Equipment Co. is among the many companies leaning into the elongated shopping period.

Peter Hlynsky, chief executive of the Vancouver-based outdoor goods company, said promotions are B次元官网网址渄eeperB次元官网网址� than they have been in previous years and started well before November.

B次元官网网址淚n our stores, weB次元官网网址檙e doing deals right now that normally you wouldnB次元官网网址檛 start until those (Black Friday and Cyber Monday) time frames,B次元官网网址� he said in late October.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just earlier and everybodyB次元官网网址檚 doing it. You can see across the whole market that everybodyB次元官网网址檚 pulling everything way forward.B次元官网网址�

But not everyone will be lured into opening their wallets early or at all, Hutcheson warned.

Some people shopping not for holiday gifts but for big ticket purchases will decide to hang on if they donB次元官网网址檛 see deals that are enticing enough.

B次元官网网址淭hey may just wait till Boxing Day,B次元官网网址� she said.

READ ALSO: