Every fall, Canadians are bombarded with countdown clocks, “lightning deals,” and inboxes full of urgent reminders that Amazon Prime Day — or the biggest and best Black Friday deals — are here. But as flashy banners return, a growing number of shoppers are asking: Are Amazon’s deals really that good? And is this really where you want to spend your money?
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Skepticism grows over Amazon Prime Day deals
A popular Reddit thread titled “Amazon Prime Day: The biggest consumer scam of the year” captures the mood perfectly (1). “I checked my cart — same prices as last week, just with fake ‘sale’ tags.” Another user added, “They hike the price, slap on a 20% discount, and call it a deal.”
This skepticism comes at a time when Canadians are already tightening their belts. Inflation, higher borrowing costs and tariff-related price bumps have turned even basic shopping into a budget challenge.
According to Omnisend’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 Spending Report, Canadians still plan to spend nearly $9.3 billion this season — up from $7.6 billion in 2024 — but they’re being much more selective about where and how they shop (2).
“Even though wallets are tighter, Canadians are increasing their budgets,” Marty Bauer, an e-commerce analyst at Omnisend, told Retail Insider (3). “They’re making fewer impulse buys and instead focusing on strategic purchases where they can get the most value.”
Shop smart, shop Canadian: Where to find real savings
Beyond fatigue with mega-sales, many Canadians are choosing to redirect their spending — toward businesses that keep money circulating in our own Canadian pockets.
“Supporting local isn’t just about feeling good,” author of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s (CIRA) Kira Yee writes in her guide How to Shop and Buy Canadian (4). “When you buy from a CA site or a Canadian-owned retailer, you’re putting hard-earned loonies right back into your community.”
The CIRA article notes that Canadians overwhelmingly prefer shopping from .ca domains because it means faster shipping, prices in Canadian dollars, and fewer surprise currency-exchange fees. Local retailers such as Salt Shop in British Columbia and Local Laundry in Calgary are proof that you can get unique, high-quality goods without sending profits south of the border (5).
And shoppers are taking notice. Following the latest round of cross-border tariffs, “Made in Canada” labels have become more prominent in grocery and store aisles nationwide. “Even Costco appears to be doing more to make Canadian products easier to identify,” reported Alexander Sciola for MTL Blog, noting that shoppers now see maple leaf logos and “Product of Canada” stickers where U.S. brands once dominated (6).
For consumers, that’s more than symbolism — it’s protection against price shocks. As trade tensions increase, homegrown options from brands like Olymel, French’s, President’s Choice and BioSteel help insulate Canadians from foreign mark-ups, while keeping the dollars flowing through our domestic economy.
Read more: Here are 5 expenses that Canadians (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
Deal-hunting tricks: Price matching, cashback and early-bird sales
If you’re determined to shop strategically this holiday season — without defaulting to Amazon — there are plenty of ways to stretch your budget.
1. Master price-matching policies
Most major Canadian retailers, including Canadian Tire, Best Buy and Staples, will match or even beat competitors’ prices. Tools like Reebee and Flipp let you compare flyers in seconds, so you can walk into a store armed with proof. Check out the Money.ca guide of retailers in Canada that price match.
2. Use cashback and coupon tools
Extensions like Rakuten Canada and Honey can automatically apply discounts or earn cashback on eligible purchases. As of 2025, Rakuten reported that the average Canadian member earns about $95 per year just by activating offers before checkout. Another good option is Swagbucks, which boasts an overall payout to members of more than $6.7 million. Open a new account and $10 bonus.
3. Skip the hype — shop early or late
According to Shopify’s third-quarter update (7), the traditional “Black Friday Weekend” has stretched into an entire season. “It used to be a few peak sales days, but now it stretches across the whole quarter,” said Shopify president Harley Finkelstein. “It’s more global than ever.”
That’s good news for Canadians who want to avoid impulse buys. Many independent retailers now start their sales in early November and offer post-holiday markdowns in January — often deeper and less chaotic than Prime Day’s flash sales.
4. Sign up for local loyalty programs
While Omnisend found that loyalty points only influence about 25% of Canadians’ purchase decisions (8), programs like PC Optimum, Scene+ and Triangle Rewards can offer genuine year-round savings when paired with grocery and gas spending.
The feel-good factor: Why spending local feels right this year
Buying Canadian isn’t just about beating inflation — it’s about resilience. After a turbulent year marked by trade friction and global supply hiccups, local businesses have shown remarkable adaptability.
Tara Deschamps reported for The Canadian Press that Shopify merchants, many of them small Canadian entrepreneurs, “aren’t feeling too bogged down” by tariffs or U.S. trade tension (9). Speaking to Deschamps, Shopify’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Jeff Hoffmeister, said: “We’ve not seen any significant impacts on our merchants.” Hoffmeister credits sellers with “adapting quickly” by using artificial intelligence (AI) and local supply chains to offset costs.
That agility means Canadian-based online stores are now just as efficient — and often just as fast — as global platforms. With many Shopify retailers offering free or one-day delivery within Canada, consumers can skip the long-haul shipping, customs delays and carbon footprint that come with international orders.
As Kira Yee put it, every local purchase helps “keep the cultural fabric of a community vibrant” while protecting small businesses that might otherwise lose ground to corporate giants (10).
And there’s a growing emotional payoff, too. A recent survey by the Retail Council of Canada found that 86% of Canadians plan to buy from local retailers this holiday season (11) — not just to save money, but to support Canadian jobs and businesses during uncertain economic times.
How to make it happen: A focus on Canada shopping checklist
To help Canadians shop smarter — and more locally — here’s a quick cheat sheet for your next spree:
- Groceries: Swap U.S. imports for Canadian staples like SunRype juice, Oasis, French’s ketchup and Maple Leaf deli meats.
- Gifts: Browse CA domains — URLs that end with .ca — and use small-business directories or CIRA’s Canadian Gift Guide for artisan apparel, décor, and handmade crafts (12).
- Electronics: Buy direct from brand sites like Sonos Canada or Moft Canada, which often match or beat Amazon prices when factoring in duties and currency conversion.
- Books: Order from Indigo, McNally Robinson or independent bookstores that now offer free or $1 local delivery.
- Beauty and home goods: Look to Shopify-powered boutiques such as Well.ca or Simons, both of which prioritize Canadian suppliers.
Even big chains are leaning into the trend. Between 2018 and 2020, Walmart Canada sourced more than $20 billion in Canadian products (13). Earlier this year, the big box store pledged another $6.5 billion investment over the next five years in a plan to further accelerate growth in Canada (14).
Why this matters
For Canadians, where you shop has become a statement of values. It’s about protecting jobs, nurturing innovation and keeping wealth within the country.
In an economy still recalibrating from pandemic shocks and geopolitical shifts, buying local offers both economic and psychological returns. As Alexander Sciola wrote (15) amid this year’s tariff turmoil: “Made in Canada labels are already becoming more prominent — with shoppers being encouraged to support homegrown brands.”
Sciola isn’t alone in his sentiment. As Finkelstein, put it: “All roads lead to Shopify.” Whether that means your favourite handmade candle shop or an eco-friendly fashion brand, Canadian consumers are proving that shopping local no longer means paying more — it means shopping smarter.
So, the next time your inbox lights up with “Exclusive Deals,” maybe close the tab. Step outside, scroll through a Canadian website, or check your local shop’s Instagram. You might just find a better price or free shipping (but without that Jeff Bezos hangover) — and you’ll definitely find a better feeling.
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Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Reddit (1); Retail Insider (2, 3); CIRA: How to Shop and Buy Canadian (4, 5, 10); MTL Blog: Want to Buy Canadian? Here are 12 Locally-Made Grocery Items (6, 15); The Canadian Press: Shopify merchants not weighed down much by trade war (7, 8, 9); Retail Council of Canada (11); CIRA: Gift Guide (12); Walmart Canada (13), (14)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.