Black Friday is here, and about half of Canadians say they plan to do some online or cross-border shopping for U.S. retail deals, according to a recent UPS Canada survey. This is a big increase from last year when the dollar was lower and about two-thirds of Canadians chose to shop locally.

For consumers shopping through U.S. retailers online, 78 per cent said they expect to find products they can’t find in stores. A large majority of this demographic includes millennials and households with children under 18.

On average, Canadians anticipate saving $173 through cross-border shopping.

“In between 2014 and 2015, we saw a big drop in the Canadian dollar which likely deterred people from shopping in the U.S.,” said Craig Calvert, director of customer solutions, UPS Canada. “Now that the dollar has stabilized, consumers are more inclined to get back to seeking out big deals south of the border.”

There is, however, a group of Canadians who believe retailers in Canada offer similar deals. Of the 51 per cent of those not participating in cross-border shopping this year, 43 per cent say it’s because they prefer to shop Canadian.

“With regards to Canadian retailers, it’s not surprising that more than half of respondents shopping within Canada are shopping online,” said Calvert. “We continue to see an increase in e-commerce, which plays a key role in the growth and success of Canadian small and medium sized businesses. In addition to having user-friendly platforms, local retailers should ensure they are equipped to manage customer shipping expectations, which include using a trusted courier and keeping costs transparent.”

Survey statistics also show that about eight in ten Canadians want to pay for their purchase in Canadian dollars when shopping online, and women are more likely to make purchases that offer free shipping.