More than a third of Canadians to shop online for Cyber Monday: Retail Council of Canada

More than a third of Canadians are shopping online for Cyber Monday sales, according to the Retail Council of Canada's (RCC) latest survey.

Despite the rising cost of living, the survey revealed almost twice as many Canadians plan to shop online for Cyber Monday than last year.

"Last year, 21 per cent of Canadians shopped online for Cyber Monday and, this year, that number is expected to be 37 per cent will shop for Cyber Monday," said Michelle Wasylyshen with RCC.

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As costs rise, Canadians are being more careful and looking for value, promotions, sales and free shipping.

"It's a really important time of year for both retailers and consumers because they are looking for deals more than ever before," said Wasylyshen.

As more Canadians shop online, cybercriminals try to trick shoppers into going to fake websites to steal their information.

"Just because you get a link that looks legitimate, don't take it as fact. It could be taking you to a fake website that seems legitimate when they are stealing your information," said Ritesh Kotak, a cyber-security and technology expert.

Norton, an antivirus and security software company, advised consumers to avoid being scammed by sticking with reputable online sellers and paying with a credit card, as credit cards offer additional protections if a problem arises.

The company also said shoppers should use strong passwords, avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi, and carefully review credit card statements after shopping to check for fraud.

Kotak also said after you're done shopping, watch out for texts and e-mails from shipping companies saying your package is on the way, as many of these messages can be scams trying to get your information.

"We are starting to see an increase in links that are phishing-related. You'll get a link saying, 'Click here to track your package,' and it's a scam," said Kotak.

If a website asks to store your credit card information for faster checkout in the future, you should decline, as this could make you more vulnerable to hackers if the retailer gets hacked.

Kotak also advises getting a second credit card to be used specifically for online shopping so it's easier to track your online spending. 

In association with RCC, Leger conducted a 12-minute online survey with 2,500 adult Canadians from Aug. 14 to 23, 2023. No margin of error can be associated with a non-probability sample, though for comparative purposes, a sample this size would have a margin of error of ±2%, 19 times out of 20.