#GiftLocal campaign encourages Canadians to
shop local in store or online
The TD New Digital Customer Study finds 57% of
Canadians say local businesses in their communities now offer more
digital shopping and service options than they did before the onset
of COVID-19
TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2020 /CNW/ - This holiday gift
giving season, TD is launching its #GiftLocal campaign, encouraging
Canadians to support small businesses and shop local.
Even Santa is getting in on the action; he's giving his elves a
break, donning his PPE, and shopping locally to check the names off
his list.
Canadians can show their support by holiday shopping at small
local businesses and sharing images of gift suggestions and
purchases to inspire family, friends and others via social media to
do the same, using the hashtag #GiftLocal.
"Small businesses across Canada are at the heart of our communities and
help fuel our economy," says Alec
Morley, Senior Vice President Canadian Business Banking, TD
Bank Group. "The pandemic has created a challenging operating
environment for business owners, but this holiday season, we can
all help make a positive difference by shopping in our communities.
Black Friday and holiday shopping locally will help these
businesses and the people they employ get through this period of
uncertainty and give them the opportunity to thrive post
pandemic."
Business owners have shown incredible resilience and have
adapted their own practices in many ways including offering
curbside pick-up and implementing health and safety measures for
consumers to enter and shop within their stores safely. An
increased use of technology – like the introduction of a simple
website, online storefront and contactless payments – has been an
important part of many small businesses' strategy to endure the
challenges that physical distancing and other health measures have
presented this year. The TD New Digital Customer Study, which
explores the effect of the pandemic on the digital behaviours and
attitudes of Canadians surveyed, has found that 57% of respondents
say that local businesses in their communities now offer more
digital shopping and service options than they did before the onset
of COVID-19.
"Many small businesses across the country have invested in
online and payment technology and other innovative shopping
experiences to make shopping easier and safer as we enter the peak
selling season for most retailers. Let's use our wallets to show
them that was the right choice," adds Morley.
TD Merchant Solutions (TDMS), the division that provides
wireless and wired point of sale terminals and ecommerce payment
solutions to businesses to help manage and grow, found in a recent
internal survey of its clients that contactless payments have
increased by 60 per cent year-over-year, in the past three months
highlighting a surge with business owners that have embraced
technology to offer consumers more choice and convenience when
shopping. TDMS encourages small business owners to reach out for
assistance in enabling technology and other functions that can help
maintain regular business transactions during this difficult
time.
About TD Bank Group
The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively
known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the sixth
largest bank in North America by
branches and serves over 26 million customers in three key
businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres
around the globe: Canadian Retail, including TD Canada Trust, TD
Auto Finance Canada, TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD
Insurance; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most
Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth
(U.S.), and an investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; and
Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities. TD also ranks among the
world's leading online financial services firms, with more than 14
million active online and mobile customers. TD had CDN$1.7 trillion in assets on July 31, 2020. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades
under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.
SOURCE TD Bank Group