Great News For Newfoundland Collectors
Record Fair NL has been scheduled for May 16th, 2021. Click here for details.
Quebec Under Curfew
A curfew is now in effect in the province of Quebec for four weeks and this may cause retailers in the province to reduce their hours, possibly delaying shipments both inside and outside the province.
This curfew occurs from 8 PM to 5 AM province wide and is response to the high numbers of COVID-19 infections in the province.
Details in regards to delays and reduced hours of operation should be available on your retailer’s official websites.
Boxing Day
Although Ontario and Quebec have chosen to shut down due to the pandemic, you should note that some record stores (and other stores) will be accepting orders for local deliveries, curbside and store pickups. And some will extend their usual Boxing Day discounts to give their customers a chance to get these savings.
Details on what options are available will be on their retail websites and in advertisements so you may want to give your local retailers a browse online.
You can also browse small and medium Canadian retailer listings on Amazon Canada, where Canadian products are being featured on their own microsite.
By the way, Amazon Canada has also recently installed additional hub lockers throughout Canada, where parcels can be delivered securely if you aren’t at home or are having problems with delivery theft at your home.
Canadian Tire offers a similar system, where you use a printed bar code to open a locker compartment at their store that contains your purchase. The Amazon version operates in a similar manner, with a code, and is available at local transit stations, shopping malls, gas stations, pharmacies and other centrally located retail locations.
I have just recently found one of these hubs at a local pharmacy and gas station, which will be convenient if I require deliveries outside of my home.
Black Friday Week Tips
It’s Black Friday Week and lots is going on:
On Friday, some of your local record stores will be participating in the Record Store Day Black Friday events and will have exclusive merchandise collectors will want to have a look at. Go grab that mask and hand sanitizer and enjoy.
Speaking of COVID-19, Best Buy Canada has decided to offer “Quick and Easy Store Pickups” so you will be able to get your purchases curbside for “in as little as an hour” in some locations. This option should be listed during the checkout process and extended curbside pickup hours are available at some stores.
Curbside pickup and/or free shipping are also available at select Chapters / Indigo book stores, Michaels art and craft stores, The Source and Bad Boy electronics stores, The Bay department stores, Staples Canada office supply stores, IKEA and The Brick home furnishing stores, Canadian Tire and home improvements stores like TSC/Peavey Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and Home Hardware.
You’ll notice that some locations will be open earlier than usual, like my local Lowes location which is open at 6 AM. This is due to the line-ups, which will probably be an issue because of the maximum occupancy rules that have been set up to avoid the propagation of this disease.
To avoid these longs lines, ordering online is a better option (if not the only option). And if you don’t have a credit card you can always pick up gift cards for some of the aforementioned retailers at your local convenience store, gas station or pharmacy.
Amazon Cash is an option for Amazon Canada shoppers, which allows people to load cash or money from their debit card into an account at Canada Post Outlets, MacEwen convenience stores/gas stations, Mobile gas stations and participating 7 Eleven, Circle K and Hasty Market convenience stores.
Paypal and debit options are also available at some retailers, so you might want to investigate what options are listed on their web site.
By the way, professional speaker retailer Sonos, office supply site 123ink.ca and online electronics retailer Newegg Canada are also having Black Friday week sales. And you should also note there are also great deals to be had online from American retailers Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble
and Entertainment Earth, although you should account for delays at customs for foreign orders.
Canada Post had warned of Christmas volumes for some time now but there should only be slight delays for domestic shipments. And some retailers are using independent shippers to deliver locally so look for that option as well.
McDonald’s & Skull Candy
I just thought you’d like to know that you can win $20 Gift Cards for Skull Candy instantly via McDonald Canada’s Coast To Coast Monopoly promotion. And that you can get 40% off your Kobo eBooks & Audiobooks or Skull Candy purchases by entering your properties online at mcpromotion.ca.
You get a coupon for every seven properties entered until November 30th 2020, the first being a coupon for Kobo and the second being for skullcandy.ca purchases, and the coupons are good until December 31st, 2020.
It might be worth your while to get those extra, unused game pieces from your friends if you don’t visit McDonalds often. And the $20 gift card appears to be pretty common; I got a second one today.
Comparison Shopping Time
Newegg Canada, Best Buy Canada, Indigo Books
and Staples Canada have decided to have sales events of their own in response to Amazon’s two-day Prime Day event so you will have ample opportunity to do some comparison shopping starting at Midnight EST.
You won’t find much music and film-related items at Staples Canada, other than headphones and some other music accessories. But Newegg Canada and Best Buy Canada do offer home audio and home theatre components and accessories. And if you’re looking for Apple products you may want to check The Source out.
Indigo Books will also be discounting their book and tech items for their Plum members by up to 40% until Midnight on Wednesday, so you may want to check them out as well.
By the way, if you’re looking for speakers here’s an offer you may be interested in: Get 6 months of Disney+ with your Sonos.com purchase through Oct 31st
Happy shopping.