December coming earlier to retail: report

VANCOUVER — “The Canadian retail sector is experiencing significant changes fundamentally altering the look and feel of shopping in Canada,” says the latest national retail study by Colliers. According to The Toronto Star, the study notes the push to stem the allure of cross-border shopping with late-November sales competing with Black Friday events across the border. The results have been so successful that even Boxing Week has lost some ground to Black Friday among Canadian consumers. So far, December holds its ground as the busiest retail month of the year, but its importance relative to November is declining, with 9.3% of annual sales compared to 10% a decade ago.