Canadians to Spend Average of 4 Hours Shopping Online For Holiday Gifts

The holidays are here.

Now synonymous with hectic, frenzied shopping, the holiday season is a boon for retailers but can be a nightmare for consumers. Overstuffed parking lots combined with lengthy lineups and crowded malls can turn the cheeriness of the holiday spirit into blistering frustration. Fortunately, the Internet Era ushered in e-commerce so we can all chillaxe.

According to a recent holiday survey by Ipsos Reid commissioned by Visa Canada, Canadians will still be spending an average of about 8 hours in physical retail stores for their holiday shopping, but e-commerce has eased their burden, with an average of 4 hours to be spend shopping online.

Ontario consumers plan to spend the most time shopping online, while Manitobans and Saskies the least. BC consumers plan to spend the second-most time shopping online.

57% of Canadians say the worst part about shopping is the crowds and subsequent long lineups, and 58% will use the time saved through online shopping to "relax." 54% would use that extra freedom to spend time with family—a classic holiday tradition.