On Line Shopping To Hit Record High STUART HIMMEL
Staff Writer
As COVID-19 restrictions tightened,
grocers, pharmacies and big box
Canadians turned to the web for
retailers were allowed to open during
Christmas shopping. Online sales are
that 28 day stretch with capacity
set to hit a record this year in Canada
limited to 50%. Other municipalities
amid limits on in-person shopping
across Canada were also tightening
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
shopping restrictions during the Christmas season amid rising
The new data is in line with Statistics
Covid-19 counts.
Canada estimates from the spring when retail e-commerce sales more
Meanwhile several Canadian
than doubled from February to May
retailers, including Le Chateau,
while online shopping fell this
Mountain Equipment Co-Operative,
summer from its high of 4 billion in
GNC Holdings and Aldo, have all
May as more stores opened to in
filed for creditor protection this year.
person shopping.
Up until last year, online sales represented about 8% of revenue for
Statistics Canada says that 2020 is
Canadian businesses with five or
on pace to beat 2019’s total e-com-
more employees.
merce sales of $305 billion which has more than doubled since 2013 and
As of 2019, 39% of large businesses
include business to business sales
had online sales in Canada
as well as retail purchases. A
compared with 23% of small
separate survey from Google
businesses. Either way you slice it,
Canada in late October suggested
there has been a tremendous growth
that 70% of respondents were
in online shopping.
looking online, not in-store for holiday gifts
Statistics Canada also noted that in
.
the past, wholesalers and shippers,
This data came before Canada’s
rather than retailers, have been the
biggest city, Toronto and neighboring
top beneficiaries of the trend to
Peel Region entered a lockdown
online shopping. Wholesalers
during late November until Mid-De-
contributed $85 billion toward total
cember during the height of the key
online sales last year while transpor-
holiday shopping season, limiting
tation and warehousing represented
non-essential retailers to curbside
$60 billion, manufacturing was $38
pickup and online sales.
billion and retailers $22 billion.
Only essential businesses, such as
W W W. M B E F O RYOU. C O M
MBE BUSINESS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021
51
