shopping posts

Who doesn't get lured into Shoppers Drug Mart at least once a week?

Thanks to easy access with 1240 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix locations that are currently across Canada, customers can find a store in every province and territory.

"Whether you need a prescription or shampoo, we have tremendous offerings - but we also have many other products and services available to all our customers," says Lana Gogas, Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager for Shoppers Drug Mart.

But there's probably a few things you didn't know about this Canadian retailer - so check out our list of 10 things to commit to memory for your next visit.

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick."
― Gwenyth Paltrow

You would be hard-pressed to find a woman who doesn't have a lipstick, lip gloss or lip balm somewhere in her bag - and for most women, you may find all three.

No matter if the economy is good or bad, cosmetics keep selling, and for those who keep an eye on the industry, its all about encouraging us girls to have a bathroom cabinet bursting with multiple products.

The successful marketing of beauty has led to these companies to become the envy of the business world according to Brand Finance, with annual sales that are in the billions.So which brands are found in almost every bathroom across the country?

In our consumer-driven society, entrepreneurs are looked up to, innovation is celebrated, and shopping indulged in regularly. But not every product is worthy of notice. In fact, some things are a waste of time, money and the energy it cost to manufacture them.

For your pleasure, we've found a few things that have been produced, because incredible as it may seem, somebody actually thought they would sell. If they were to make it on to Dragons Den, it would only be there as a bit of comic relief.

But they actually do exist, so consider yourself forewarned. Friends don't let friends buy these products.

By Matt Brownell
Daily Finance

Google Glass is poised to be the first mass-market wearable computer. Worn like a pair of glasses, the display sits in the corner of your eye and responds to voice commands. It can be used to perform Google searches, take pictures and video, translate phrases into other languages, and perform several other functions that normally require you to take out your smartphone. It's currently wowing crowds at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

The bad news? For now, Google Glass is available only to developers and selected "creative individuals" at the hefty price of $1,500 each. But the devices are expected to become available to consumers at a lower price by the end of the year. And when they do hit the wider market, we think they could completely change the way you shop.

Yes, the smartphone revolution already did that once, allowing us to research, price-compare and even buy from our phones as we stand at the store. But Google Glass could do it all over again by allowing you to access all the same functions just by looking at a product and whispering a few voice commands. By removing the phone from the equation, Glass and similar products could seamlessly integrate vital information into your shopping experience.

Here are a few of our hopes for how Google Glass could change shopping.

By Adam J. Wiederman
Daily Finance


In 2010, Walmart (WMT) vowed to double its sales of locally grown produce by 2015. It was an attempt to both increase the amount of local foods in stores (as part of its environmental and sustainability initiatives) and invigorate local economies by supporting small farmers.

Walmart has already blasted through its goal of selling 9 percent local produce -- 11 percent of the produce in stores now comes from farms near them. Yet despite Walmart's boast that this shift "saved customers over $1 billion on fresh fruits and vegetables," small farmers haven't benefited at all, according to a recent NPR report.

Which raising an interesting question: Is that Walmart's fault, or is it the farmers choosing this path?

So Canada, which province do you think is bringing sexy back?

With Valentine's Day around the corner, there are many shoppers looking for inspiration on what to buy their Valentine.

Will it be a lacy piece of lingerie? Or will it be a box of chocolates? And who will be giving what?

With online shopping increasing each month in Canada, it's no surprise that eBay Canada has been seeing Canadians shopping for romantic gifts.

But who's buying what? And which province is most focused on love, romance or asking I do?

Taking our cue from eBay Canada's survey of romantic shopping by Canadians, here's the romantic rankings, province by province:

SLIDESHOW: Sexiest Provinces According to Valentine's Day Purchases

The gifts have been given, items have been returned and now the sales are tempting you.

Your favourite stores are sending email updates of discount, discount, discount and a work colleague is bragging about the amazing deal they found yesterday.

How can you not want to shop? What if the sales are THAT good?

But friends, you don't NEED to shop. You WANT to shop.

And to avoid going into debt, now is the time to make a resolution to follow these rules so you can avoid a shopping hangover and feel guilty spending any pennies.

What will 2013 bring everyone? Will it be opportunity, wealth or change?

The new year will definitely be bringing a change in your household expenditures, with early predictions confirming that many household items will cost more.

Thanks to the drought this past summer that affected crops, the cost of many items at the grocery store will be getting more expensive, and our favourite technology items won't be getting cheaper.

For those individuals who like to plan ahead or prepare for the higher prices, here's a list of items that will be more expensive in 2013.

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http://www.walletpop.ca/gallery/household-basics-going-up-in-price-in-2013/5525961/

When shopping for holiday gifts isn't it tempting to want to buy a few things for yourself?

Well my advice - stop it! Buy the gifts, get the necessities for parties and dinners and put away a few pennies for January.

When everyone else is recovering from the busy holiday period, January is a great time to shop - not just for holiday decorations for the next year, but for a myriad of items.

So what to look for after Boxing Day? Here's a list of items that will be a better bargain in January.

By Dawn Kawamoto, Consumer Ally

Christmas is just a couple weeks away, and consumers are heading out to snap up Christmas trees so Santa knows where to put the gifts. So, what'll it be? Live or artificial?

It's not just a matter of aesthetic preference or family tradition: Cost is certainly a factor during these tough economic times.

Industry trade groups have provided plenty of fodder for consumers to consider when weighing the costs of a live versus an artificial tree.