A couple of weeks ago, I was doing some work on my MacBook Air when suddenly everything stopped saving. I was getting out of memory errors even though the diagnostics showed I still had plenty of memory left and Microsoft Office wouldn’t work properly.

I packed up my Mac and popped into Best Buy on my way to my Friday afternoon writers’ group.

For the past ten years, we’ve bought all our computers and phones from Best Buy. As big retailers go, I think they are one of the best with excellent service, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and competitive prices. I went to their Geek Squad desk, and within twenty minutes I was on my way, my Mac issue resolved. When I asked how much I owed them, the guys smiled and said no charge.

With the crazy holiday shopping season soon upon us, I thought I’d share my list of best brands to buy from this holiday season, with an emphasis on Canadian, their willingness to go the extra mile for their customers, and cost since inflation is through the roof.

• Canadian Tire: still one of my favourite Canadian retailers, with one of the best return policies around and items on everyone’s Christmas list. They’ll also go the extra mile to help their customers and the community. During the ice storm of ’98, when we bought a blue water jug from the Canadian Tire in Kingston, the manager filled the jug for us. And just last week when I started my holiday shopping there, I saw an employee out front helping a customer fix their bike.
• Simons: Keeping on the department store theme, Simons is a Quebec-based fashion mecca for anyone looking for stylish, inexpensive fashion. Their roots date as far back as 1840 and they now have 17 stores across the country and are opening two more in the GTA this winter. I discovered Simons when I used to go to Montreal for business and make it a regular stop every time I’m in Montreal.
• Dollarama: Another Quebec success story, everyone knows this beloved dollar store where your buck goes a long way. Fantastic for stocking stuffers, cards, gift wrap and more.
• Winners and HomeSense: No matter what time of day you go into a Winners or HomeSense, there’s a lineup to check out which speaks to the popularity of these discount stores. What I like the most is it feels like a treasure hunt every time you visit—you never know what you are going to find.
• Giant Tiger, aka the “GT Boutique”: A local low-cost favourite (the first Giant Tiger stores opened in Ottawa and Napanee in the 1960s and are owned by a local family), if you’ve never set foot in a Giant Tiger, you may be surprised you can find some of the biggest brands at reasonable prices, including Spyder, Disney, RealTree and NHL, CFL and NFL merchandise.
• Any local craft fair: I still say the most special gifts are anything you can buy locally made with love. I’ve already started scouring some of my local craft fairs for gifts. Bonus: there’s usually always a bake table to stock up on treats!

This holiday shopping season, make sure your shopping experience is a positive one and you leave a happy customer. What are your favourite retailers and why? Leave a comment. Happy shopping!