Ottawa holiday shoppers feeling the strain on their wallets amid high prices

Stores across Ottawa are packed with shoppers ahead of Christmas, but many are facing tough choices and tighter budgets. CTV’s Dave Charbonneau has more.

With Christmas just days away, many shoppers in Ottawa are feeling the strain on their bank accounts.

As costs of goods continue to climb, shoppers say they’re looking for new ways to find savings this holiday season.

For shopper Sarah Okusanya, that means passing up on online shopping to find deals at the store.

“I was shopping online at first, and then I was like, ‘okay, it’s going to be cheaper to come and get it in person than doing it online,’” Okusanya said. “So I found the stores so that had them available here at Bayshore and was like, ‘okay, let me come and do some quick shopping.’”

Santo Ligotti, vice president of membership and marketing at the Retail Council of Canada, says the in-person experience stills matter to shoppers.

“The in-store experience is still important because it’s allowing the shopper to see the variety of available merchandise there in the store that’s well curated, available and discounted,” Ligotti said.

Even after deciding to opt for in-person shopping, Okusanya says high prices mean tough decisions about gift giving this year.

“I have to pick and choose who’s going to get a gift this year. It’s not like before where everybody could get a little something small, or maybe a gift card or something like that,” Okusanya said.

For shopper Chino Izaguirre, holiday shopping comes as a reality check.

“Things are expensive. Things are probably overpriced,” Izaguirre said.

He still has a few items left to buy but knows it won’t be cheap.

“I just know to save up around this time, and then I know it’s going to be a little dent in the wallet, but hey, it’s Christmas. Christmas is always expensive,” Izaguirre said.

Other shoppers, like Tina Collins, are ahead of the game. Collins says she did her shopping weeks in advance to avoid the busy holiday shopping season.

“I sort of pick-up things throughout the year and we don’t lose our minds at Christmas time,” said shopper Tina Collins.

While some of the sweetest traditions come with a price tag, for some it’s worth it.

“It is a Christmas tradition and one of her favorite treats. So, it’s something that we always like together. And she loves the little Lindt chocolate balls,” said shopper Amy Shaw.

Some shoppers say they found sales leading up to the holiday season, but the discounts weren’t deep enough.

“It’s crazy and you try to buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but it still doesn’t cut it,” said shopper Samantha Jones.

“The cost is crazy. Particularly because I have a 15-year-old daughter, so the things that she’s asking for are, like, $100 a pop,” said shopper Ishia Ryan.

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