Online shopping and re-gifting have become two catchwords for this year's Boxing Day shopping in Canada, survey shows.

About 41 percent of Canadian Boxing Day shoppers plan on making a portion of their purchases online, up from 34 percent in 2008, according to a survey issued on Saturday.

The survey, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of PayPal Canada, reveals that more consumers will look for ways to avoid the hassles associated with Boxing Day shopping in stores.

About 68 percent of the shoppers dislike the long lines and crowds at the mall while other 11 percent are frustrated to find that the item they are looking for is not carried or sold out. Some four percent shoppers barely make it into the mall because it's so hard to find a parking spot.

"Even before the holiday rush started, we knew that shoppers were looking to avoid the frustrations typically associated with this shopping period," said Nicky Mezo, head of marketing for PayPal Canada.

"By teaming up with several online merchants, we're making it hassle-free for shoppers to take advantage of special Boxing Day offers from the comfort of their own home."

Money is also a concern for Canadian shoppers. Winnie Yu, an engineer with the Scotiabank, told Xinhua that she found that items in online stores are almost 20 percent cheaper than those in malls.

Re-gifting: an new option for Canadians

Thoughtless and impersonal holiday gifts may leave many wondering about the rules for re-gifting. Three in 10 Canadians have received a holiday gift that was an obvious re-gift, according to new research from eBay Canada, and this may have had an impact on the more than 40 percent of Canadians who are wary of what to do with unwanted gifts.

According to the research, one in three Canadians may have unwrapped unwanted gifts that were either thoughtless or impersonal this holiday season, but some may be hesitant to re-gift the item for fear of getting caught.

While Canadians may be reluctant to repurpose holiday gifts, there is nothing wrong with re-gifting or re-selling the item as long as it is done properly. It's an environmentally- and budget-friendly option for making the most out of unwanted items.

"Don't store the item in the back of a closet or hide it under a bed. Rather, look at ways to make the most of unwanted holiday gifts by re-gifting or re-selling the item. It's a great way to recoup some of the costs," said Cathie Mostowyk, eBay Canada's budget expert and editor of the Shoestring Shopping Guide.