Tech & Biz

Wal-Mart stores in Canada will stay open 24/7 until Christmas

by Yuliya Talmazan | November 27, 2008 at 11:17 am

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What Canadian would not want to do their Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart at 3 o’clock in the morning? To make sure Wal-Mart’s customers have an opportunity to indulge in wee-hour shopping, the retailing giant is going to have their stores open 24/7 from December 1st and until the Christmas Eve. Wal-Mart claims that 40% of their Canadian shoppers said that having extended store hours determined where they shop. Not sure staying open 24/7 qualifies as ‘extended hours,’ but given current financial crisis, this might turn out to be a smart corporate decision.

The world's biggest retailer says it did a survey recently and found 41 per cent of its customers said extended store hours were important when they choose where to shop.

All in all, 192 of Wal-Mart Canada's 310 stores will stay open around the clock from Dec. 1 to Christmas Eve.

The company said it will make a list of the stores available on its website, www.wal-mart.ca.

Wal-Mart's longer hours come as consumer confidence remains shaky in the face of global economic turmoil and a possible recession.

Many retailers are anxiously watching spending habits during the holiday season, hoping that shoppers don't scale back too radically.