Let the holiday shopping begin! Black Friday on its way to Canadian stores too! With Canada's Thanksgiving a month earlier they have only recently started to buy into the U.S. "Black Friday" tradition and now the Canadian holiday shopping season is looking decidedly more American this year as retailers schedule a rush of Black Friday events in hopes that consumers will shop at home, rather than head south of the border. (Source ctvnews.com)

"Retail invasion: Microsoft, Loft, Kate Spade open first storefronts in Canada" Following the path of well-known U.S. brands like Ann Taylor and J. Crew and the U.K.'s Topshop and Topman, the international retail invasion continued in earnest this week with several marquee names opening their first-ever Canadian storefronts. Microsoft launched its first international location at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre on Friday. Other new-to-Canada retailers opening at the mall included Tesla Motors, men's and women's clothier Ted Baker London and luxury apparel and accessories brand Kate Spade New York. (Source ottawacitizen.com)