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 firm害羞草研究所檚 thousands of merchants during the November shopping stretch.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 sleep for that five-day period,害羞草研究所� said Finkelstein, Shopify害羞草研究所檚 president.

害羞草研究所淢y wife knows about it. My kids know about it. I am in full Black Friday, Cyber Monday mode.害羞草研究所�

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: shoppers害羞草研究所� moods.

Inflation, high interest rates and layoffs are weighing on wallets 害羞草研究所� and Finkelstein thinks it will make shoppers more intentional about what they buy.

害羞草研究所淚 think 害羞草研究所榣ess but better害羞草研究所� is probably going to be one of the themes,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淢ore quality, less quantity, not necessarily buying 15 pieces of product, but rather buy three that are more meaningful to you.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所渇ewer splurges and more thoughtful purchases across the board.害羞草研究所�

When Shopify zeroed in on Black Friday and Cyber Monday alone, its data showed the average Canadian consumer plans to spend $291 害羞草研究所� the second highest amount globally after the United States.

The majority of Canadian shoppers 害羞草研究所� some 70 per cent 害羞草研究所� 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. That害羞草研究所檚 up from 74 per cent who sought higher-quality goods in 2022.

Finkelstein considers this a sign that consumers are fuelling a 害羞草研究所渟hift to value害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a move he害羞草研究所檚 even noticed when he害羞草研究所檚 filling his own closet.

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

害羞草研究所淏ut it害羞草研究所檚 a much higher-quality T-shirt than the $10 T-shirt, so you害羞草研究所檙e not buying 10 of them, you害羞草研究所檙e buying three of them, and (I害羞草研究所檝e) had this T-shirt for years now,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淓verybody害羞草研究所檚 sort of trying to stretch their dollar and being very conscious of what their budgets look like this year,害羞草研究所� she said.

Shopify害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� free shipping, longer return periods, bonus loyalty program points 害羞草研究所� and if such benefits arrive before Black Friday, they won害羞草研究所檛 wait to make a purchase, Hutcheson said.

害羞草研究所淧eople are starting earlier, they害羞草研究所檙e trying to spread their dollars out versus having this huge bill,害羞草研究所� 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 Monday害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渄eeper害羞草研究所� than they have been in previous years and started well before November.

害羞草研究所淚n our stores, we害羞草研究所檙e doing deals right now that normally you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 start until those (Black Friday and Cyber Monday) time frames,害羞草研究所� he said in late October.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just earlier and everybody害羞草研究所檚 doing it. You can see across the whole market that everybody害羞草研究所檚 pulling everything way forward.害羞草研究所�

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 don害羞草研究所檛 see deals that are enticing enough.

害羞草研究所淭hey may just wait till Boxing Day,害羞草研究所� she said.

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