{"id":2444,"date":"2025-11-08T09:48:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T09:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldpumpnews.com\/?p=2444"},"modified":"2025-11-08T09:48:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T09:48:53","slug":"can-loyalty-and-points-programs-help-ease-the-pinch-of-holiday-spending-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldpumpnews.com\/?p=2444","title":{"rendered":"Can loyalty and points programs help ease the pinch of holiday spending? – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

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With the holiday shopping season underway, many Canadian consumers are looking to check boxes on their gift list while also keeping their household budgets in check.<\/p>\n

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Shoppers may be feeling more cautious about opening their wallets for fear of what the future may hold and are looking for opportunities to save money wherever they can.<\/p>\n

The trade war \u2014 especially the ripple effect of leading to a \u2014 has led to cost concerns among consumers.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers are cautious heading into the holidays because there\u2019s a number of headwinds they\u2019re facing. Particularly the fallout effects from the trade war, and as trade issues relate to companies really being cautious about hiring right now,\u201d says retail analyst Bruce Winder.<\/p>\n

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\u201cConsumers feel that and they\u2019re in the same boat. They\u2019re being very choiceful with what they spend on right now. They\u2019re very careful because they\u2019re nervous they might lose their job.\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

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A report by PwC released last month showed, on average, Canadians said they were planning on spending 10 per cent less than they did a year ago, with 81 per cent of respondents saying they planned on spending less.<\/p>\n

Some retailers have noted customers are looking for value, discounts and lower prices overall.<\/p>\n

Dollarama has seen its stock surge in recent years, with the company highlighting in its quarterly earnings report that \u201cconsumables\u201d were driving the sales growth.<\/p>\n

This means some customers may be skipping visits to the grocery store in favour of a visit to retailers like Dollarama that potentially offer lower prices for food and other items.<\/p>\n

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Citing customers prioritizing \u201cnecessities,\u201d Costco has also made adjustments by scaling down their in-store holiday displays to make more room for essential items like food rather than non-discretionary items like Christmas trees, lights and toys.<\/p>\n

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If customers are prioritizing buying essentials, that may mean a different approach to shopping for the holidays and gift buying.<\/p>\n

\u201cLoyalty programs can definitely help Canadians on tight holiday budgets, but how and where you redeem rewards matters. Make a list and stick to it,\u201d says personal finance expert Shannon Terrell at NerdWallet Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way to make points work for you this holiday season comes down to using the resources you have at your disposal as strategically as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Loyalty programs could be a good way to save money, but it\u2019s important to choose the right ones, have a good strategy and be consistent to make the most of them.<\/p>\n

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Whether loyalty programs lead to savings depends on a wide variety of factors because each consumer has different needs and preferences when it comes to shopping for essentials and other items \u2014 including gifts.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumers, whether they are part of a loyalty program with a retailer or whether they sit outside that program, don\u2019t show any discernibly different level of loyalty to the retailers, surprisingly,\u201d says Doug Stephens, founder and CEO at Retail Prophet.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the time we pick a grocery store because it satisfies our needs and it\u2019s relatively convenient to get to. Loyalty programs don\u2019t actually foster much more than transactional loyalty at best. In many cases, retailers are giving people incentives that they probably didn\u2019t need in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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