December 7, 2010

Canadian holiday shoppers hungry for rewards

Far more rewards-savvy than Americans

Jolly or not, Canadian holiday shoppers are serious rewards program users, out-collecting and redeeming their American counterparts. According to the AIR MILES and American Express Holiday Rewards Survey, not only are the vast majority of Canadians collecting and using a loyalty or rewards program significantly more than their American neighbours (91% versus 72%), they are also more than twice as likely to use rewards miles or points to pay for holiday purchases than their American counterparts (18% versus 8%). 

"With nearly 80% of Canadians participating in a rewards program, it's clear that this group wants to get the most value for every dollar spent during the holiday season. Earning rewards when holiday gift shopping is certainly a great way to add value to every purchase," says   Jennifer Hawkins, Vice President of New Product Development for American Express Canada. "Our survey found that Canadians are miles ahead of their American counterparts in many reward-collecting and redeeming habits."

Making It Count
Canadians and Americans make their holiday purchases quite differently. The majority of Canadians will pull out a debit or credit card (62% and 61% respectively) to make holiday purchases while Americans prefer dealing in cash (60%). Using a rewards credit or debit card to make purchases enables Canadians to earn rewards points and miles with every dollar spent.

"Whether to take advantage of rewards offers, purchase protection, such as that offered by American Express' AIR MILES credit cards, or a combination of many factors, Canadians simply prefer to use credit and debit cards to make their holiday purchases," says   Neil Everett, Chief Marketing Officer, AIR MILES Reward Program. "With Canadians spending hundreds of dollars on gifts and groceries alone around the holidays, earning rewards on every purchase is the best way to get the most value out of every transaction. It's easy: use a rewards collector card, take advantage of bonus offers and pay with a rewards credit card - it's like a Triple Play with miles!"

Surfing Santa
Canadians may not shop for holiday gifts online as often as their American counterparts (44% versus 73%), but they are close to three times more likely to head online to shop on a loyalty/rewards site (34% versus 12%).