Canadian holiday shoppers are savvy about spending

    
    PayPal research indicates majority of Canadians plan to comparison-shop
    to take advantage of special offers and promotions
    

TORONTO , Nov. 10 /CNW/ - When it comes to fulfilling wish lists this holiday season, Canadian shoppers are taking a savvy approach to how they spend their money and time.

Consumers are becoming smarter about their spending by comparison shopping and taking advantage of special offers and promotions. In fact, the Ipsos Reid research study, conducted on behalf of PayPal Canada , reveals that almost 90 per cent of Canadians will comparison-shop to find the best price. The same percentage will also take advantage of special offers and promotions.

The study also reveals that consumers are making their list and clicking to buy. One-third of Canadians are planning on doing at least some of their holiday shopping online. The same percentage indicates that they are likely to shop online to avoid the long lines and the crowds at the mall.

"Consumers are taking control of the time and money they spend," said Darrell MacMullin, general manager, PayPal Canada . "The research shows that shoppers are becoming savvier about their purchases and turning to online retailers offering the best holiday deals and promotions."

To respond to consumer demand, PayPal has teamed up with merchants like Dell.ca, La Senza, and LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, to offer great promotions on holiday gifts. By using their PayPal account, shoppers can save time and money - and in some cases even get cash-back - and still find the perfect gift for everyone on their list. Shoppers can visit the PayPal holiday microsite at https://www.paypal.ca/holiday to get started.

"Many consumers are also likely to give the gift of cash this holiday season," added MacMullin. "And, just like last year, the overwhelming majority of Canadians would not be offended by such a gift."

In fact, more than 40 per cent of Canadians are likely to give the gift of money to friends and family this holiday season. Giving the gift of cash is practical and economical. PayPal makes it easy to send money to friends and family anywhere in the world - the online payment system allows consumers to send money in 24 currencies to 190 countries and regions.

The survey also reveals other interesting facts about holiday shopping this year:

    
    -  Safety is important. More than 40 per cent of shoppers are likely to
       use a secure payment method like PayPal to avoid sharing their
       financial information with merchants.
    -  Cross-border shopping will be popular this year. Thirty per cent of
       consumers are likely to shop from US merchants and may take advantage
       of package delivery services like MyUS.com.
    -  Consumers will be making a budget and sticking to it. More than half
       of Canadians (67 per cent) have a strict budget for their holiday
       shopping and more women than men have a strict budget for their
       shopping (72 versus 60 per cent).
    

For more information about the 2009 PayPal holiday promotions, and to see a full list of participating retailers, visit https://www.paypal.ca/holiday.

Methodology

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal from October 26, 2009 to October 28, 2009 . This online survey of 1,025 Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of this poll are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

About PayPal

PayPal is the safer, easier way to pay and get paid online. The service allows users to pay without sharing financial information and gives consumers the flexibility to pay, including through account balances, bank accounts or credit cards. With more than 65 million active accounts in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global e-commerce. PayPal is an eBay company. More information about the company can be found at https://www.paypal.ca.

For further information: Media contact: Nicole Tuschak, Environics Communications for PayPal Canada, [email protected], [phone]