'Absolute make or break': Holidays are paramount for Calgary small businesses

The holiday season is the most important time of the year for many of Calgary's small businesses, with the weeks leading up to Christmas promising to make or break their fortunes. 

But a large portion of buyers are either turning to online shopping instead of in-store purchases or heading to big box stores in search of better deals, reports suggest.

A report from the Retail Council of Canada and Leger shows 38 per cent of holiday shopping in Canada is expected to be done online. 

The same report suggests Albertans are expected to spend around $970 this year, a 10 per cent increase from last year, with a majority of shoppers expected to cash in on Cyber Week deals.

"Albertans are more likely to consider Cyber Week offers more than other provinces we saw, with 72 per cent citing that they would look for those deals during Cyber Week versus only 63 per cent on the national average," said Santo Ligotti, vice-president of membership and marketing at the council.

According to Deloitte Canada's 2024 Holiday Retail Outlook, 71 per cent of consumers plan to buy gifts from Amazon, while 61 per cent said they would make their purchases at other mass merchants.

It's a trend that Dakota Kidby, marketing manager for the Marda Loop Business Improvement Area, wants to discourage.

She said small businesses rely on Calgarians to shop locally instead of spending their dollars at large online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and Costco.

"I would say Christmas time is the time of year that merchants are making most of their revenue," Kidby said.

Boutiques and specialty retailers likely get the largest boost from holiday shoppers, according to Kidby. 

She noted many businesses still haven't recovered from the financial strain of lockdowns brought on by COVID-19. Compounding factors such as localized construction making some businesses difficult to access, plus the recent Canada Post strike, have only made things worse.

"All of our businesses need support more than ever this year," Kidby said.

Wendy Bach, owner and founder of Artesano Galleria in Inglewood, has been in business in Calgary for 25 years.

She said the six weeks leading up to Christmas are crucial for her business.