Canadian shoppers may have spent $1.2 billion chasing Boxing Day bargains in the nation's stores, by one estimate.
The official estimate will come out in about a month, and economists will be studying the numbers closely to glean insight into the country's economic health going into 2008, reported CTV's David Akin.
"These numbers really tell us about how consumers are feeling about the economy," he said.
Some signs are good. Canada's federal government is in much better fiscal shape that its American neighbour, unemployment is low and house prices have held up while U.S. prices are sagging, Akin said.
The credit and housing problems in the U.S. may have been reflected by sales activity.
"It was a relatively mediocre shopping season. You had some big winners, but in general the American consumer is really not reaching out and spending that last extra dollar," said retail analyst Eric Beder in New York.
In Canada, Visa Canada's annual gift-giving survey released before Boxing Day found that 23 per cent of Canadians planned to go shopping on Wednesday -- 17 per cent less than 2006. They also planned to spend $233 on average, down from 2006's estimate of $328.
However, Canadians appeared to be out in force. One survey found that about 40 per cent were out to find entertainment or consumer electronics bargains.
Early start
Boxing Day shoppers lined up outside malls and electronics stores well before sunrise to take advantage of those sales.
Future Shop and Best Buy locations in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal saw shoppers posted outside hours before the doors opened, intent on taking advantage of big savings on electronics.
Many stores opened to a crush of shoppers as early as 6 a.m.
At one Montreal store, staff counted down the opening before a cheering crowd charged into the store and up escalators.
One couple that waited outside a Toronto electronics store from 5 a.m. came out with a truckload of new purchases.
"Two TVs, a GPS and a bunch of stuff," the man told CTV Toronto while packing his car with his purchases.
One Vancouver Best Buy store scheduled 200 people to work Wednesday morning to accommodate the expected rush.
"Some of them, this is first time doing it, so there may be butterflies going on. But we try to keep them calm," manager Peter Chetwynd told CTV British Columbia.
Winnipeg's Polo Park Shopping Centre reported heavy traffic through the afternoon. Sandra Hagenaars, Polo Park's marketing director, said the day started with a crush of traffic at electronics stores.
"Early in the morning our electronic stores had super crazy line ups with tons of people," Hagenaars told CTV.ca. The mall opened at 8 a.m., several hours earlier than on other holidays.
"It's full out crazy now. We're seeing groups of families -- I think we have a lot of people visiting from out of town."
The generally white Christmas across Canada meant sporting goods retailers did a booming business.
"Compared to last year, it's heaven on Earth," said Ottawa retailer Kevin Pidgeon.
"Compared to last year, as we all know, it went sideways. We didn't have snow until January 15th -- well, the pent-up demand is standing behind me."
However, women's fashion retailers found Boxing Day and the Christmas season in general to be tough for sales.
Silent in Atlantic Canada
While bargain-hunters across most of Canada stormed stores before dawn on Boxing Day, shoppers in the Maritimes spent the day look for a place to browse.
Recently passed legislation kept malls, box stores and small shops closed in Canada's four Atlantic Provinces on Wednesday.
Still, a steady stream of shoppers drove through empty parking lots and pulled on store door handles Wednesday, hoping to find an open store.
Debbie Prince said she tried to get some shopping done in Halifax, but supports the law that makes the holiday a time for family.
"I'm a little disappointed but I really, in my heart, believe you shouldn't be shopping on holidays," Prince told CTV Atlantic. "The people that work here, it's not fair for them to be working on holidays."
Much of the confusion comes from flyers distributed across Canada. They promote sales beginning on Dec. 26, without mentioning that stores are closed until Dec. 27 in Atlantic Canada.
With reports from CTV Toronto's Naomi Parness, CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander and CTV Atlantic's Toby Koffman
