Manitoba retailers want to keep you from crossing the border this Black Friday.
They are launching their own versions of the sales, which commonly draw shoppers to the U.S.
Winnipeg shopping centres including Kildonan Place, St. Vital and Polo Park are opening their doors early on Nov. 23. Some stores will open as early as 7 a.m.
Polo Park’s General Manager Deborah Green says more than half of the retailers in the mall are offering a variety of sales such as deals up to 60 per cent off, or buy one get one free.
“We really saw it as a way to stay competitive to what’s happening south of the border and keep money here in the local economy in Winnipeg,” said Green.
Glenn Pagdato from Tamarack Casual and Outdoor Clothing said his store will be offering early incentives for shoppers, prior to the December holidays.
"Traditionally, we always waited until Boxing Day but why not beat it to the punch?” said Pagdato.
A new CIBC poll suggests six per cent of Manitoban and Saskatchewan residents plan on making a purchase during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period.
"What we're seeing more and more of is those retailers are becoming far more aggressive on the Canadian side in terms of competing with their American competitors trying to draw the traffic that generally goes across the border to do their cross border shopping give them a reason to stay here and do their shopping at home,” said Lanny McInnes from the Retail Council of Canada.
