Pendant des années, clients et détaillants canadiens observaient avec envie (et parfois avec horreur) la frénésie commerciale aux États-Unis connue sous le nom de «Black Friday» («vendredi noir»).
Ces dernières années, la situation a changé car les détaillants canadiens ont décidé de lancer leur propre Black Friday (et leur propre Cyber Monday), le jour suivant la fin de semaine où les magasins d'électro-ménager offrent des rabais sur leurs appareils.
Cette année, le Black Friday et le Cyber Monday — respectivement le 29 novembre et le 2 décembre — semble prendre une plus grande ampleur que jamais au Canada.
Cadillac-Fairview, l'une des plus grandes chaînes de centres commerciaux, a déclaré que 21 de ses centres à travers le pays ouvriront plus tôt pour Black Friday.
«C'est une nouvelle tradition. Je pense que ça lance bien la saison des achats», a déclaré Wendy Greenwood, directrice des ventes en Ontario, au Toronto Star.
Même sans s'étendre sur une fin de semaine, le Black Friday semble voué au succès au Canada.
Dans son entrevue avec le Toronto Star, Wendy Greenwood a indiqué que les ventes avaient augmenté de 22% dans les six centres Cadillac-Fairview ayant fait l'expérience du Black friday l'année dernière.
De nombreux détaillants n'ont pas attendu le Black Friday pour commencer à proposer des rabais. Amazon, Target et Walmart font partie des enseignes proposant des offres tout au long du mois, selon eCanadaNow.
Une des raisons pour lesquels les détaillants canadiens se sont décidés à tenir leur propre Black Friday est la peur de voir les achats pratiqués de l'autre côté de la frontière grignoter leurs bénéfices. Afin d'aider les détaillants, le groupe Pages Jaunes a lancé une campagne visant à inciter les Canadiens, particulièrement les résidents de la région de Toronto, à rester chez eux lors du Black Friday.
Mais les détaillants sont d'avis que devancer la saison commerciale est bon pour les clients, qui peuvent ainsi éviter la précipitation de dernière minute dans des magasins surpeuplés.
«Bon nombre de nos clients nous ont dit qu'ils détestaient le rythme agité de décembre et qu'ils voulaient pouvoir faire leurs achats plus tôt», déclare Richard Barry, responsable marketing de Toys R Us.
Craziest Black Friday Moments
Black Friday Romance?(01 of07)
Open Image ModalAccording to the New York Daily News, two individuals have Black Friday to thank for their unique love-at-first-sight story. The two lovebirds struck up conversation while standing in line at a Long Island Kmart. The small talk turned into sweet talk as the two waited in line together for a total of seven hours before doors opened. Fast forward two years, and the couple is happily married with fond memories of the day they met, saying, \"Black Friday will always be a memorable day for us. That was the day that changed our lives.\" (Getty photo)\r\n
Woman Shakes Up Shoppers With Death Threats(02 of07)
Open Image ModalShoppers were shaken up last year at Toys \"R\" Us in Wisconsin, when a woman named Lanessa Lattimore threatened to shoot shoppers who were waiting in line outside the store. A confrontation began after the woman tried to cut the line of several hundred people. Lanessa told CNN, \"Everybody was cutting in line. But there was one girl who was threatening me, so I told her that I\'d shoot her.\" Although no weapon was found, she was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. (Getty photo)
Kim Kardashian: Best Black Friday Buddy?(03 of07)
Open Image ModalA poll conducted by AOL back in 2009 revealed that Kim Kardashian was voted the person you\'d most like to go shopping with on Black Friday, as the NY Daily News reported. She even beat out Victoria Beckham for the best shopping buddy title. Would you want to spend Black Friday shopping with Kim? Something tells us that the poll results would be quite a bit different this year... (Getty photo)
... And Kayne West, The Biggest "Turkey"?(04 of07)
Open Image ModalThe same AOL poll that voted Kim K. as the \"best shopping buddy\" also revealed that Americans think Kanye West was the biggest \"turkey\" of 2009... whatever that means. Bear in mind that this poll took place shortly after his Taylor Swift interruption scandal at the Grammy\'s that year. According to the New York Daily News, Kanye beat out the likes of Jon Gosselin, Levi Johnston, Spencer Pratt,and Michael Lohan. In other words, it sounds like being called a \"turkey\" is just a kinder way of saying \"biggest D-bag.\" (Getty photo)
Shopping Cart Heist (05 of07)
Open Image ModalA strange shopping cart heist took place at a Toys \"R\" Us in the Bronx in 2009, the New York Daily News reported. Thieves stole 500 shopping carts starting on Black Friday and continued to nab carts throughout the holiday season. Shoppers were left annoyed as they were forced to carry all of their purchases, since no carts were anywhere to be found. Police suspect that the carts -- which cost a hefty $200 a piece -- were either stolen by gang members to sell metal scraps for money or taken by homeless people who use them to carry their belongings. (AP Image)
Hotel Deals For The Extreme Shopper(06 of07)
Open Image ModalWhen stores in Indianapolis had a super successful Black Friday back in 2009, hotels decided to try and take advantage of visiting shoppers by targeting the eve of Black Friday. According to USA Today, the Conrad Hotel was among the first to notice this opportunity and advertised to serious out-of-town shoppers who planned on rising early to hit the sales. The deal offers $99 for a room on Thanksgiving night, as well as a personal shopping appointment at Nordstrom, a free coffee and a free shoeshine. Other hotels have also developed similar deals to cash in on the night of Thanksgiving, too. It sure beats camping out overnight for the doors to open in the morning. (Getty photo)
Shooting Over Flat Screen TV(07 of07)
Open Image ModalAnother story that will make your heart sink: the tragic shooting of a man in Queens who was shot by robbers on Black Friday back in 2009, as the New York Daily News first reported. The elderly man was walking with his new flat-screen TV in a parking lot, when robbers ruthlessly shot him dead in an attempt to steal his new purchase. However, the TV didn\'t fit in the trunk of their getaway car, and witnesses reported that they dumped the TV on the street as they quickly fled the scene of the crime. (Getty photo)