Canadian Black Friday and Boxing Day Freebie Strategies

Black Friday and Boxing Day are Canada's two biggest shopping events, and they offer more than just discounts. With the right strategy, you can combine free offers, cashback bonuses, and loyalty rewards to maximize every dollar spent — or spend nothing at all on strategic freebies.

Pre-Event Preparation

Start preparing at least two weeks before each event. Sign up for email lists from every retailer you plan to shop at — many Canadian retailers send early access deals and flyer previews to email subscribers. Load all available PC Optimum, Scene+, and Triangle Rewards offers. Ensure your Rakuten and cashback app accounts are active and linked.

Research prices now so you can recognize genuine deals later. Use CamelCamelCamel for Amazon Canada price tracking. Screenshot current prices at other retailers. Many "Black Friday deals" are actually regular sale prices repackaged. Knowing the real price history prevents you from falling for fake markdowns.

Black Friday Strategies

Canadian Black Friday has evolved into a week-long event. Many retailers launch early deals the Monday before, with different offers each day. Amazon Canada's Black Friday deals often start the preceding Friday, giving you a full week of sales. Best Buy, The Source, and Walmart all run extended Black Friday periods.

For freebies specifically, watch for Gift With Purchase promotions at beauty retailers. Sephora, The Bay, and Shoppers Drug Mart all run enhanced GWP offers during Black Friday. Some retailers offer free items with minimum purchase thresholds. Others provide bonus loyalty points that effectively make portions of your purchase free.

Boxing Day Strategies

Boxing Day remains Canada's biggest shopping day, with some deals exceeding Black Friday discounts. The key difference is that Boxing Day deals are typically in-store focused, while Black Friday emphasizes online. Plan your Boxing Day route to hit stores efficiently — early morning shoppers get the best selection on doorbuster deals.

Many Boxing Day deals at Canadian electronics retailers are genuinely the lowest prices of the year. Best Buy, The Source, and Staples reserve some of their deepest discounts for Boxing Day. Clothing retailers like Aritzia, Roots, and Hudson's Bay traditionally offer their best clearance pricing of the year on Boxing Day.

Stacking During Sales Events

Sales events are the best time to stack discounts. Combine the sale price with a manufacturer coupon, a store digital coupon, cashback from Rakuten, a receipt submission to Caddle, and loyalty program bonus points. On a single Black Friday purchase, five layers of savings can bring the effective cost down dramatically — sometimes making the item essentially free after accounting for all rewards.

Credit card promotions during these periods are worth watching. Some cards offer enhanced cashback or bonus points during November and December. American Express, Scotiabank, and TD all periodically run holiday spending bonuses.

After the Events

Boxing Week continues through January with extended sales. Many returns from holiday purchases create additional clearance inventory in January. Retailers clear winter inventory in January, offering deep discounts on seasonal products. Gift card sales after the holidays occasionally include bonus cards — buy a fifty dollar card and receive a ten dollar bonus card free.