Legal Cannabis vs. Black Market in Canada: Can it Compete?

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October 17, 2018

Legal Cannabis vs. Black Market in Canada: Can it Compete?

By Michael J. Armstrong, Associate professor of operations research, Goodman School of Business, Brock University

The Oct. 17 launch of legal recreational cannabis in Canada brings many challenges. Retailers are now worrying about possible product shortages or web site glitches. Governments are still debating how to handle amnesties, impaired driving, and workplace safety.

But legalization day also marks the start of several interesting competitions. Some resemble those in other industries; others are unique to cannabis.

The most important one from a public policy perspective is the competition between legal cannabis and black markets. Squeezing-out illegal suppliers is a key legalization goal.

The black market’s head start

As I’ve noted before, it’ll be tough to lure customers away from established illegal vendors. For one thing, cannabis-infused foods and drinks aren’t yet legal. Black markets will monopolize those products for another year.

Dried cannabis and oils are legal now but may experience shortages. But those should disappear next year as more growers become operational.

Places to legally shop are also scarce in most provinces. Québec only has 12 stores open and Ontario won’t have any brick-and-mortar stores until spring. By contrast, Alberta has a hundred stores opening this month. As store counts grow, legal cannabis will grab more market share.

Pricing also handicaps legal vendors. They must pay fees and taxes while competing with street prices around $7.20 per gram.

However, legal cannabis might eventually undercut illegal weed. Mass production is already reducing per-gram growing costs below $0.75 and is heading for $0.20. Moving production to countries with lower wages and warmer climates could drop that to $0.05.

Promotional marketing could give legal cannabis an advantage. But federal law restricts advertising to “informational” purposes; no cartoon characters or happy puppies. That makes it harder to build brand reputations.

The pre-existing “gray-market” dispensaries further complicate the legal-illegal competition. Will most close or go legit? If not, they’ll provide another challenge for legal retailers.

New or established, storefront or online?

Competition is also beginning among legal vendors, especially in Alberta. Will speciality chains, independent shops or established grocers prove most popular? Will consumers prefer stores with coffee-shop vibes, clean clinical looks or retro-hippy styling?

A potentially fascinating competition pits brick-and-mortar versus e-commerce. In many retail sectors, physical stores have struggled (or gone bankrupt) against online competitors. But now we’re seeing hundreds of new cannabis storefronts open, despite every province also selling pot online.

To succeed in this rivalry, cannabis store staff will need to offer good customer service. Online vendors must correspondingly provide well-designed web sites.

Privacy concerns will influence this competition. Some consumers won’t want friends or coworkers seeing them buy cannabis. They’ll prefer the anonymity of buying online.

Other shoppers may worry more about online privacy. Typing names and credit card numbers into cannabis web sites might lead to problems later, perhaps at the U.S. border. Some folks will prefer paying cash in physical shops instead.

Both rivalry and synergy could arise between medical and recreational cannabis. Some medical users may switch to recreational products for convenience or variety. Conversely, people trying recreational weed may find it therapeutic and later get prescriptions. Such crossovers could boost sales of both products.

Producers and products compete

The big-money competition is among cannabis producers. They’ve scrambled for skilled workers. They’ve raced to take-over greenhouses, chocolate factories, and even indoor soccer fields for growing spaces. And their stock prices have soared.

But all that’s been mere warm-up. Now their recreational products and business strategies finally go head-to-head.

Whose products will prove most popular? Will most consumers opt for a mild buzz, powerful highs, or therapeutic effects? Will sales of cannabis buds and oils be eclipsed by value-added products like cannabis foods and beverages when those become available?

Which managers have built the strongest firms? What’s the best strategic balance between cost reduction, distinctive branding and product research?

There’s still the option (in most provinces) for consumers to grow their own cannabis. This will probably resemble home winemaking: many folks try it but few stick with it. Mind you, robotic grow-op boxesapparently can do the gardening work for you now; a cell phone app keeps you updated on the plants’ progress.

Displacing other substances?

Looking more widely, we can see cannabis-alcohol competition also brewing. Some booze drinkers will switch to pot for their buzz, especially once cannabis beverages arrive. That’s one reason wine and beer companies are investing in cannabis producers.

Other substances might see similar switching. There’s evidence that legalizing pot reduces abuse of opioids and cocaine. Might some tobacco smokers trade their cigarettes for joints too?

That brings up the even broader competition between provincial pot policies. Each government has chosen its own approach to legalizing cannabis sales and consumption.

Some provinces are keeping retailing entirely government-owned. That might bolster consumer education and harm reduction. Others are at least partly including businesses. Those may respond better to customer preferences and market trends.

The least bad policy?

Whose policy will work best? More precisely, which ones will come closest to achieving governments’ varied and competing societal objectives?

Provinces with more stores per capital will dampen their black markets best. Alberta will likely lead there, given the large number of private-sector stores expected. New Brunswick’s public-sector retail network also looks good relative to its population.

By contrast, Québec has just 12 government-run stores initially for 8.4 million residents. It’s put tight limits on consumption. And its new premier wants the minimum age raised to 21. It’s hard to see that strategy discouraging illicit dealers.

Other government decisions will also be tested. Letting municipalities ban cannabis stores may be pragmatic politically. But that lets black markets continue unabated.

Similarly, Newfoundland’s desire for a local cannabis supply is understandable. But offering a $40 million tax break to get it will look expensive if cannabis surpluses eventually materialize as expected.

So, whether you’re a retailer, consumer, government official or producer, you’ll probably find the next few weeks challenging, interesting and constantly changing, to say the least.

Retail Veteran Andrew Jennings Discusses Rapidly Changing Industry

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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October 16, 2018

Any retailer that wants to stay ahead of the game in today’s breathtaking world of change has to now think in an entirely different way and adapt to the seismic shift taking place in the industry, says global retail veteran Andrew Jennings.

Jennings, a former CEO of Holt Renfrew, has launched his new book, Almost Is Not Good Enough, where he says if retailers get this wrong, or move too slowly, the customer will be lost forever.

Jennings had a 45-year career as a senior retail executive at leading brands including Woolworths, Saks Fifth Avenue, Holt Renfrew and Harrods.

He said he wrote the book to share his insights gained from nearly five decades in the industry.

“I think we’re in an unbelievably interesting phase in retail. Interesting on the basis that things are changing fast,” said Jennings. “Someone said to me the other day ‘Andrew how would you describe the pace of change present?’ I spent a few years living and working in Germany and you’re driving down the Autobahn at 140 kilometres an hour and you look in your rear-view mirror and something has passed you. It’s your competition.

“And that’s really the pace of change today (in retail). Customers are expecting more exciting experiences when they shop whether it’s online or whether it’s offline. It doesn’t make any difference. I believe that any retailer that wants to stay in the game, let alone ahead of it, has to see it in an entirely different way. If you get it wrong or go too slowly the customer will be lost forever. I also think customers are demanding more exciting experiences. They have higher expectations of product, service, value.”

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The book offers top tips from about 35 of the world’s top retail CEOs and Company Chairs on how retailers can stay relevant in today’s changing retail landscape. It covers a range of themes, rules and common mistakes for applying technology innovations, to perfecting the supply chain and identifying what customers want.

All profits from the sales of the book will go to The Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by Prince Charles that supports disadvantaged young people to help get their lives back on track through employment, education and training. Jennings is the chairman of the Trust’s Retail Leadership Group.

“Everyone has to understand that the customer is no longer just the king. I call them the super being. They are in charge. Why are they the super being? Because they have all information at the touch of a button whether that’s looking at what is a competitive price, what is the content of that product. They know exactly what is happening,” said Jennings.

“Retailers have to ensure that they are relevant. There’s four criteria from my perspective. Number one is know your customer and understand their wants, needs, desires and aspirations. Secondly, retailers have got to constantly innovate and innovate with excellence supported by technology. I often say show me a business that’s implementing innovation in an excellent way and I’ll show you a successful business. The third part of staying relevant is the quality of the talent that you’ve got in your business. You’ve got to have passionate people in retail . . . You’ve got to create an environment where people will learn and grow. The fourth is we’re a product. We sell merchandise. So, you’ve got to make sure merchandise is in line with the market trends to support the customer’s needs. It’s no coincidence that know your customer has to be at the top of the tree there.”

WORLD RETAIL CONGRESS. PHOTO: ANDREW JENNINGS LINKEDIN

Jennings said the retail graveyard is full of once great businesses that were relevant that became irrelevant because they ignored those four factors. Today, retailers have to be omni channel businesses to be successful.

“That’s a very, very tough call for retailers. You’ve got to make sure you stay on top and in line with what the customers want,” he said.

“Another factor, is to achieve the goal of staying relevant you’ve also got to think 3D-mensional and the three Ds of 3D-mensional are differentiation, distinctive and delivering. Each one of those are really important. Number one differentiation. Customers have neither the time nor the inclination to give retailers a second chance to make a first impression. They want retailers to get it right, right away. And differentiation is everything and relevant retailers need to make the shopping experience stand out from the competition. You need to be what I call a category of one.

“My second D is of course distinctive. You’ve got to be distinctive today in everything that you’re doing. And again, it needs to stand out from the rest of businesses . . . What’s the personality of that brand?

“Then the third D is delivering. I’ve just seen too many businesses talk a lot about ‘well we’re going to differentiate ourselves, we’re going to be distinctive’, but they don’t deliver to the customer. They don’t deliver to their shareholder. They can’t walk the talk.”

Why the title of the book?

“Throughout my career I’ve had many people say to me ‘Andrew we’ve nearly hit our budgets or we didn’t quite line up those designers to come in. Next year we’ll make the target number we should have hit this year’. And that’s not going to cut it in this fast-moving industry that retail is in today. I don’t think it was ever acceptable but we have to constantly say to ourselves ‘how can we exceed our customer’s expectations? How can we truly give them that extraordinary experience?’ Because it’s that extraordinary experience that is required to stay relevant because almost is not good enough,” said Jennings.

*Partner content. To work with Retail Insider, contact Craig Patterson at: craig@retail-insider.com

SAIL Plein Air to Open 3 Stores and New Warehouse as it Grows Operations

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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October 16, 2018

Quebec-based sporting goods retailer SAIL, along with its brand Sportium, is investing about $40 million this fall into the company, creating more than 300 jobs, three new stores and a new warehouse.

“We’re expanding. We’re developing,” Norman Décarie, SAIL’s President and Chief Executive Officer, told Retail Insider. “Opening brick and mortar where everybody else have stopped basically their real estate developments.

“What we’re trying to do is both parallel. I’m a strong believer that the web business, the online business, will become very, very strong and we’re setting up accordingly. But I’m a strong believer that in order to improve customer experience and to give us credibility online they have to see us and they have to see our building and they have to see our selection. Just hearing about the name isn’t enough. We need to have a physical position in the market.”

The company has just opened a SAIL store in Chicoutimi with a Sportium store to open in Kirkland in November and another SAIL store to open in December in Lachenaie. With these three openings, SAIL Plein Air Inc. will increase its commercial space from 960,000 square feet to more than 1,100,000 square feet. By the end of the year, it will have about 2,000 employees in Quebec and Ontario in the stores of its two banners (SAIL and Sportium) and its head office located in Laval.

By the end of the year, there will be 17 stores open – 13 SAILs and four Sportiums.

Over the past four years, SAIL has invested approximately $100 million in the development of its two store networks.

Also, the company is opening a 70,000-square-foot warehouse on the South Shore of Montreal to accommodate its online business. That will be open by March.

“SAIL is the outdoor banner. It’s outdoor camping, fishing, hunting. Everything related to the outdoor and it’s still in style to do hiking, fishing is stronger than ever, and people do some ‘glamping’. Now it’s no longer camping. It’s more glamour and camping. People are into that very strongly,” said Décarie. “We’re in it. The customers respond really well in Ontario and in Quebec. The only way we can come across and show our customer how good a customer experience is with our business is through our stores.

“When you sell online the customer experience is basically how quick you can deliver. But when you want to see the selection, when you want to see the customer service, the way we can accommodate, the way we can help you, this is all through brick and mortar. There’s a lot of potential and even with a company our size we’re still not present on the island of Montreal which represents half of the Quebec population. Lachenaie will be the first one.”

Décarie said online sales began about a year ago and that part of the business is still fairly new for the company but it’s going extremely well.

“The growth is phenomenal,” he said.

Décarie said the company could put another four to seven stores in Quebec, adding that it has the ability to adapt stores to secondary markets in the province and in Ontario.

*Robert Constantin of Intercom Real Estate Services is a real estate contact for the company.

Lightspeed Unveils Revolutionary ‘Retail Success Index’ Educational Tool

By

Craig Patterson

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October 16, 2018

Image: Retail Success Index by Lightspeed

Montreal-based Lightspeed, the powerful cloud point-of-sale system for independent retailers and restaurants, has unveiled a revolutionary platform for independent retailers to assess their operations. Called the ‘Retail Success Index’, the industry-validated questionnaire is a source that independent retailers can utilize to determine a score for their business that will reveal new insights and opportunities for advancement.

Lightspeed says that it created the Retail Success Index to empower independents to delve deeper into the current state of their businesses — that includes measuring their stance among competitors by identifying their strengths and granting them knowledge on areas their company can improve. Information gained is useful to retailers, no matter how long they have been in business. The five-minute questionnaire provides valuable information on the spot, and retailers can take the test every few months in order to monitor their growth.

The Retail Success Index can be accessed at any time here: www.lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail/success-index

“When Lightspeed was founded in 2005, we made a commitment to help independent retailers grow their businesses, and the Retail Success Index is the next stepping stone in guiding them to reach their full potential,” said Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed. “By understanding the current state of their business, independents will have the right information to pave a path to prosperity.”

Lightspeed has identified five critical areas that contribute to a strong retail model. These Retail Success Index Categories include:

Inventory Management
Employee Management
Marketing and Customer Relationship Management
Data Intelligence
Sales Sophistication

A retailer’s Retail Success Index is calculated using an algorithm that assigns points to questionnaire answers in the five categories above, and averages out points while altering the weight of each based on the information provided. Using the accumulated score, Lightspeed then provides detailed results for each category as well as actionable tips to help independents grow and ultimately become more successful.

As part of the Retail Success Index initiative, Lightspeed has created a board of industry-leading retail experts who have become consultants through the development of the questionnaire to optimize its effectiveness. Lightspeed recently appointed four people to the board, including Retail Insider’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Craig Patterson.

Other board members include

Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, Founder, Retail Minded,
Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, Co-founders, Kizer & Bender, and
Marta Tryshak, Creative Director and Managing Partner, Trymus Group; Founder, With Love Gabrielle Inc.
Lightspeed, which was founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Dax Dasilva, is used by more than 50,000 retailers and restaurateurs and processes more than US$15 billion annually in more than 100 countries globally. The company has more than 650 employees with offices in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia. The company continues to innovate and recently introduced Lightspeed Analytics, which is geared towards independent retailers and is designed to provide retailers with insights and recommendations into their sales, inventory, employee performance and customer behaviours, with an aim of providing retailers a competitive edge in their industry. We recently profiled Lightspeed Analytics at length in a previous article.

Lightspeed’s Retail Success Index can be accessed at any time at this link: www.lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail/success-index

*Lightspeed is a valued sponsor of Retail Insider. For more information on advertising your business or event on Retail Insider, contact: craig@retail-insider.com.

Black Goat Cashmere Opens 1st Shopping Centre Retail Space

By

Craig Patterson

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October 15, 2018

Black Goat Cashmere at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Black Goat Cashmere)

Vancouver-Based cashmere brand Black Goat Cashmere has opened its first-ever mall-based store – a pop-up, located at CF Toronto Eaton Centre in the heart of downtown Toronto. The 1,625 square foot store operates in the centre until January of 2019 and complements an existing permanent location about two kilometres north on Toronto’s famed ‘Mink Mile’.

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre store features a simple interior that showcases its range of cashmere products for men and women that include a range of fashions and accessories in an ever-expanding range of colours and styles. For example, last year Black Goat Cashmere launched a line of high-quality coats that have been a hit with its customers, so much so that Black Goat Cashmere opened a standalone store called ‘The Coat Room’ in downtown Vancouver in the fall of 2017.

Black Goat Cashmere stands to gain a considerable amount of exposure with its new CF Toronto Eaton Centre store. The multi-level mall sees more than 50-million annual visitors, making it by far the busiest shopping centre in North America in terms of footfall.

Black Goat Cashmere CEO Robert Remy said that the company is growing and that the CF Toronto Eaton Centre Black Goat Cashmere pop-up shows that the brand’s model works as well in a mall as it does on a high street. High-end street retail is limited in North America, noted Mr. Remy, and a shopping centre expansion makes sense as the brand continues to seek out new locations in order to showcase its products in dedicated retail spaces.

Jessica Millet of brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap negotiated the CF Toronto Eaton Centre deal, and represents Black Goat Cashmere in Canada.

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre Black Goat store also operates in tandem with the company’s other Toronto store, located at ‘The Colonnade’ at 131 Bloor Street West in-between luxury retailers Cartier and Escada. That store, which is a cozy 650 square feet in size, opened in the spring of 2015 and boasts exposure to a wealthy base of shoppers that frequent the area.

Besides its locations in Toronto, Black Goat Cashmere operates standalone stores in Vancouver and in Victoria, BC. The three Vancouver stores include two downtown units at Cathedral Place at 925 West Georgia Street (next to Chopard and across from Gucci) which was recently renovated, as well as The Coat Room which faces onto Hornby Street. A third Vancouver store is located on the tony South Granville strip at 2818 Granville Street.

The retailer also operates a 1300 square foot store in Victoria at 1008 Government Street. The store is the company’s largest permanent location to date, and includes a healthy customer mix of locals and tourists.

Black Goat Cashmere’s products are designed in Vancouver and manufactured in Mongolia with the highest-quality cashmere. The company is vertically integrated, and sells a variety of cashmere products for men, women and children. Some garments have accents such as mother of pearl buttons and leather trim. The Mongolian cashmere used is from long strands, which are known for durability and high quality, according to CEO Robert Remy.

Mount Royal Village Continues Expansion Through Neighbourhood Acquisition

By

Mario Toneguzzi

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October 15, 2018

attachment-5bb400827817f70700f6159f — exc-5bb400827817f70700f6159f

Since First Capital Realty acquired Calgary’s Mount Royal Village in late 2011 it has actively transformed the shopping centre and the surrounding vicinity into a retail destination.

It’s part of the company’s overall plan to turn certain properties it owns – such as Liberty Village and Yorkville Village in Toronto – into truly go-to areas for the shopping and entertaining experience.

Over the last few years, Mount Royal Village, located along the busy 17th Avenue S.W. strip and near the affluent neighbourhood it is named after, has added retailers such as West Elm, London Drugs, Browns Socialhouse, Parc Brasseries, Kit and Ace as well as a wide array of services such as GoodLife Fitness.

In fact, First Capital Realty is the largest single-land owner in the Mount Royal area where the Village is located with all its fine dining, casual cuisine, chic cafes, boutique shopping and international retailers.

“The Mount Royal block was a very ordinary, rather strange-looking building on the street. It certainly didn’t match what was around it,” said Gareth Burton, senior vice president of construction and design with First Capital. “In keeping with how we think about neighbourhoods and the tenant mix, it was evident that there was no national gym chain. So the first thing we did was negotiate with GoodLife and put a gym in there.

“We then brought more restaurants to the ground floor because the street and the park (Tomkins Square) are a natural place for people to go and eat. We’ve also brought some lifestyle type amenities and reconverted our top floors into a different form of office so we could attract people who want to be in Mount Royal Village as opposed to a typical downtown office tower.”

“We worked with the building. We didn’t do a massive amount to the structure but we re-did the entire exterior so it was more appealing on the street. It looked more contemporary and could facilitate large format uses like Goodlife. And that gym is incredibly busy … It was clearly responding to a need on 17th Avenue.”

Mount Royal Village, which was built in 1979 and redeveloped in recent years, has about 108,690 square feet of space.

Directly to the west side of the Village, First Capital has also recently completed Mount Royal West – a mixed-use development at the intersection of 8th Street and 16th Avenue S.W. The 105,000-square-foot retail/office project will house an Urban Fare grocery store, a Canadian Tire urban store and medical office.

On the site, BOSA Development of Vancouver is building a 34-storey condo tower with 223 units called The Royal.

“We’ve created very unique space in a unique area,” said Jordan Robins, executive vice president and chief operating officer with First Capital.

Here are some numbers from First Capital that illustrate why the company is so keen on this area of Calgary:

Population. As of 2017, there were 30,778 people living within one kilometre of Mount Royal Village. Within three kilometres, there were 123,240. And within five kilometres, there were 223,162; and
Household income. As of 2017, household income within one kilometre of Mount Royal Village was $107,509. It was $136,161 within three kilometres and $134,120 within five kilometres.

Robins said the population in the area, comprised of both people living there and working there, is significant in order to create the functionality and vitality of what First Capital is doing. It’s also served well by transit and pedestrian-friendly.

“The retail we created in Mount Royal Village functions well with the office space and within the confines or the context of the neighbourhood as well. So there is commonality in that regard,” added Robins.

First Capital also owns the property on the east end of the city block where Mount Royal Village is located that currently houses lower level retail space.

The company is keen on the Beltline neighbourhood and is looking at the real estate it currently owns as well as potential properties to purchase and opportunities for redevelopment.

The company also owns the Devenish heritage building that is right beside Mount Royal Village and Mount Royal West.

“We want to try and understand how we can take the Devenish as it is today, how we can keep all the roots of the heritage of that building and what it represents and what it used to do, and how we can bring it to a contemporary environment,” said Burton.

The Shoppes at the Devenish, with 40,152 square feet of space, is a unique heritage status building ideally located at the corner of 17th Avenue and 8th Street. It is home to several boutique retailers and two floors of character office space.

Peloton Enters Canada with Retail Expansion

By

Craig Patterson

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October 14, 2018

attachment-5bc004bf9140b73b6aa72e96 — PHOTO: BERNHEIMER ARCHITECTURE

New York City-based fitness company Peloton, known particularly for its luxury stationary bicycles that live-stream spin classes, is aggressively expanding into Canada with a network of retail stores. The company is picking some of the busiest and most prestigious addresses for its Canadian locations, similar to in the United States where it has stores in some of the country’s top malls.

The company is launching an international expansion this fall that includes Canada and the UK. Peloton, which was founded in 2012, operates a network of 42 stores in the United States with more on the way, as well as a location in London, UK. Peloton’s website indicates that six more locations in London will be opening as part of its rapid UK store expansion.

Peloton’s Canadian expansion will begin with five confirmed locations and according to Tim Shannehan, Chief Revenue Officer at Peloton, the Canadian locations will be similar to those in the US. “While we are not doing much build-out at our Canada locations, as compared to our standard US build-outs, we will definitely have Peloton-branded elements and will ensure our Members have the same seamless customer experience as in the US,” he stated in an email interview.

The Canadian locations will be highly interactive, according to Mr. Shannehan. “The ability for potential members to get on the bike, put on the headphones, sort through the live and on-demand class library and ride the bike is very much a part of our retail experience”, he explained, going on to describe the stores as having four-to-five bikes in each location, along with Peloton-branded apparel as well as bike accessories.

On Friday, October 12, Peloton opened its first Canadian location at 130 Bloor Street West in Toronto, in a 2,520 square foot retail space that was once occupied by luxury brand Hermes (which relocated). The Bloor Street Peloton is a pop-up of sorts and according to Mr. Shannehan, it will remain open through the winter. Arlin Markowitz of brokerage CBRE Toronto negotiated the deal and listed the retail space, which is between Gucci and Intermix on the famed luxury strip known as the ‘Mink Mile’. Toronto is the only city in North America besides New York City to have a street-front Peloton location, with the rest being in shopping centres.

The Bloor Street Peloton location will be the first of several to open in Canada this year. Two other locations will open in the Toronto area including at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto as well as at Square One in Mississauga.

*MINNEAPOLIS SHOWROOM. PHOTO: PELOTON FACEBOOK*

The Yorkdale Peloton location, opening mid-October, will be in the mall’s pop-up CONCEPT area where it will remain for several months while Peloton continues “to assess more permanent opportunities as they are presented”, according to Mr. Shannehan. CONCEPT launched in the spring of 2017 and has hosted various temporary activations.

Peloton’s two other confirmed locations will open in Alberta in November — one will be at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, and the other at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary.

Bikes are also available for purchase in Canada at www.onepeloton.ca.

The company says that it plans to open an additional 10 showrooms in Canada over the next 12-18 months. Markets such as Vancouver will no doubt be on the list.

Peloton notes that according to a new survey by Ipsos conducted this month, 3/4 of Canadians aged 25 to 64 said that making time to get to an exercise class is difficult and that it’s more convenient for them to exercise on their own schedule. Peloton says that it solves the problem and on its website, has numerous testimonials. One from ‘Dorothy from Waterford, NY stated, “Don’t think twice purchasing this amazing system. My husband was not sure if he would like the bike and he loves it. This is the best money I have ever spent on my health and my husband’s health. This is a small price compared to any significant health issue. Trust me you will tell everyone you know how incredible it is.”

US media has dubbed Peloton as being ‘the Netflix of fitness,’ bringing live and on-demand boutique studio classes to one’s home environment. All content is produced in the brand’s state-of-the-art NYC studio, run by award-winning television producers with world-class instructors, according to Peloton.

Peloton has more than doubled in size each year since its inception in 2012 — the company was founded by entrepreneur John Foley. He and his wife, Jill, were boutique fitness studio enthusiast who found it difficult to attend classes after becoming parents to a newborn. The idea to launch Peloton was born as a result and to date, the company has raised almost $1 billion in financing and is valued at $4 billion.

Peloton streams 12 daily live spin classes and features more than 10,000 additional on-demand cycling classes, providing diversity so that workouts are always different. Peloton bikes retail in Canada at $2,950 (including delivery and setup) and there’s an additional $49 charge per month to access Peloton Digital’s unlimited class subscription, which includes cycling as well as ‘floor’ workouts such as running, bootcamp, strength, stretching and yoga.

Peloton is the latest international brand to make a move into Canada by opening retail stores. We counted over 50 international retailers that entered Canada in 2017, which was a record according to our counts. This year has also seen quite a few announcements, and we’ll do our 2018 tally at the end of the year.

BRIEF: UNIQLO Continues Rapid Expansion, Wicker Emporium Chain to Close After 47 Years

By

Helen Siwak

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October 14, 2018

attachment-5bc0092db208fc8737a3a603 — exc-5bc0092db208fc8737a3a603

By Helen Siwak, Retail Insider Brief Editor

Uniqlo Opens at CF Markville: Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo is continuing with its rapid Canadian store expansion with the opening on Friday of a new 18,560-square-foot store at CF Markville in Markham, just north of Toronto. This follows the recent opening of a 28,150-square-foot store at Vaughan Mills, also just north of Toronto and next month, Uniqlo will open a 19,850-square-foot store at Mississauga’s Square One shopping centre.

In the span of about two months, Uniqlo opened four stores in Canada — a store opened on September 14 at Coquitlam Centre in suburban Vancouver. Prior to that date, Uniqlo had five stores in Canada — two in Toronto and three in the Vancouver area. The two Toronto stores were the first in Canada and opened in the fall of 2016.

All of Uniqlo’s Canadian stores are currently in the Toronto and Vancouver areas. Could Uniqlo expand into other markets in Canada? The company has said that it could open as many as 100 stores in Canada, so it’s not so much of a question of “if” but “when” — over the course of October, Uniqlo has hosted pop-up events in Montreal, Ottawa and most recently, Winnipeg. While not to speculate, Uniqlo also hosted PR events in Toronto and Vancouver prior to opening permanent stores. Cross fingers!

Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represents Uniqlo as broker in Canada.

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Our Spin-the-Wheel is back at our @cfmarkville Grand Opening! Stop by between 2-5PM today only! Limit 1 spin per person. No purchase necessary. While quantities last.

A post shared by UNIQLO Canada (@uniqlocanada) on Oct 12, 2018 at 1:02pm PDT

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And we’re officially open at @cfmarkville! Stop by for great Opening Specials and more! #UNIQLOCFMarkville #uniqlocanada #uniqlo #LifeWear

A post shared by UNIQLO Canada (@uniqlocanada) on Oct 12, 2018 at 6:59am PDT

Sprout Collection – Rentable Maternity Wear: To quote the Sprout Collection website “Maternity wear is often touted as the blackhole of fashion. High quality and well-designed maternity wear is also difficult to obtain and outrageously priced.”

Sprout Collection is a new business that is quickly gaining traction in Canada with rent-able maternity and nursing fashion. It’s cost-effective, sustainable, and the first of its kind in the country, providing women access to an unlimited closet of maternity and nursing wear.

Launched in Toronto by lawyer and entrepreneur Joyce Lim in May 2018 (the same month she gave birth to her daughter), the business was inspired by her own struggle to find affordable but well-made maternity clothes throughout her pregnancy.

Differing from the emerging dress/runway rental companies such as Rent frock Repeat or Vancouver’s FlauntBox, Sprout dresses women for a month at a time to accommodate their growing bellies. Offering three types of Membership subscription plans, which range from $99/month to $119/month with free shipping for Canadian domestic deliveries and returns, Sprout provides the convenience and the selection that women need. The process is clearly outlined on their FAQ page for those not familiar with clothing rental services.

Current listings include versatile quality brands Isabella Oliver, J Brand, Seraphine Maternity, MISA Los Angeles, and more.

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Pop-in@Nordstrom MCM Brings the Beat of NYC Streets to Canada: Available at select Nordstrom locations (Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, Dallas, NYC, and Los Angeles), Olivia Kim’s curated Pop-In@Nordstrom MCM showcases a capsule collection of bags and small leather goods crafted from MCM’s signature all-over monogram cognac visetos printed leather. The vintage-inspired silhouettes are bold in hues of red, green and blue, and a selection of pieces crafted from leopard-print hair-calf are embellished with custom gold-plated logo hardware.

The pop-in shop contains more than 100 exclusive items, and in addition to handbags and leather goods, Pop-In@Nordstrom MCM features limited-edition monogrammed lifestyle items including Wilson basketballs and footballs, Everlast boxing gloves and punching bags, hats by New Era, Champion crewneck sweatshirts and hoodies, slides, umbrellas and more. Prices range from $60 for the water bottle to $2,795 for the MCM vintage golf bag.

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Kim has created a collection of MCM eye-candy which celebrates the heritage, history, and future of MCM. The Sue Kwon photo campaign which accompanies the capsule collection includes infamous rapper-provocateur Slick Rick and was styled by Misa Hylton, herself legendary among hip-hop’s biggest names – Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé – for creating trends since the 1990s.

MCM also sells at upscale retailers nationally (such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Holt Renfrew) and the brand also has a standalone store on Bloor Street West in Toronto which opened last year.

Photo: britney gill Photography — *Photo:* *britney gill Photography*

Bonpoint Opens 1st Canadian Store: Paris-based children’s luxury fashion retailer Bonpoint made its Canadian debut over the weekend with a standalone store in Vancouver. The 920-square-foot boutique is located at 1512 W. 14th Avenue in the city’s Fairview area, and is being run in partnership with upscale multi-brand children’s retailer Isola Bella, which operates a retail space in Vancouver’s Kerrisdale area.

Bonpoint sells upscale children’s fashions including newborns, and also has a line of footwear, sunglasses, perfume and skincare. Some garments can cost into the hundreds of dollars each, which means its target market is households with discretionary income.

The company was founded in 1975 with a single store in Paris, and the company has since expanded to include retail and wholesale accounts globally. Bonpoint has nine stores in the United States, all of which are generally located in upscale locations.

CBRE Vancouver represented the retailer in the lease deal under the direction of Martin Moriarty, Mario Negris and Chloe Hamelin.

Britney Gill Photography

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Farafena Expands Offerings of Sustainable African Superfoods in Canada: BC-based superfood company, Farafena has announced its expansion into 600 stores across Canada including 500 Loblaw stores. The nutrient-dense, African-grown, and sustainable products include powders of ancient grains – fonio, baobab, moringa.

The company’s vision is simple: to share our healthy, sustainably farmed food with the world, while improving the lives of women farmers and their communities in Africa. The company currently partners with over 850 African women farmers in nine villages, bringing nutrient-dense, African-grown products to Canadian tables.

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To date, Farafena’s engagement with women farmers in Africa has provided increased business opportunities and product earnings well above the national average. This is resulting in women being able to start micro businesses, build homes for their families, and educates their children – as well as improving the health and prosperity of rural villages while supporting traditional farming practices.

Look for Farafena’s products available at over 600 retailers including Whole Foods, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Save-on-Foods, Urban Fare, and HY Louie IGA.

NYC Transplant Brings Big City Bling to TO with Van Der Hout Jewelry: For 15 years, Karen Van Der Hout supervised retail accounts in New York City for major jewelry wholesalers. Now based in Toronto’s North York, Karen set up her own jewelry company – Van Der Hout Jewelry in Summer 2017 – specializing in personalized fine jewelry.

Success has been swift through word-of-mouth via Toronto socialites, Instagram influencers like Ania Boniecka, Beckerman twins Cailli + Sam, and Valeria Lipovetsky who are enthralled with her customized solid gold necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets, bearing the initials and names of their children and loved ones.

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While Karen was initially selling to friends and family through her Instagram page, demand grew so quickly that she launched dedicated e-commerce through Shopify in early Fall 2017.

VDHJ is riding the ‘personalization’ trend, favoured by such luxury brands as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Valentino, as almost all of her items are customizable. Necklaces offered are white, yellow or rose 14K gold, a particular chain length, and any engraving.

In the year since, without any financial backers or major marketing effort, VDHJ is boasting sales in the mid-6 figures!

Vogue’s Selections for the Season Popping Up at Holt Renfrew: Holt Renfrew and Vogue have opened three new trend-driven pop-up spaces inside Holt’s locations across Canada. The chic white spaces have been created in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. The merchandise, which is available online as well as in-store, through to October 28, was specially selected by Vogue’s new Fashion Director Virginia Smith and former Vogue Accessories Director Selby Drummond.

Identifying Fall 2018 reflective elements as Global, Bright, and Timeless, the spaces are divided into ready-to-wear and accessories. For Global, the duo selected Dries van Noten with faux fur trims, Hayward, and Dior, for Bright it is Gucci, Adidas x Raf Simons and Kenzo, and Timeless features Saint Laurent, Chloe, and Acne Studios.

Images by Sarah Darcy Style.

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Vancouver’s Encima Clothing Closing with Celebratory Pop-Up: After almost four years, made in Vancouver brand, Encima will be closing down and doing so in style. The brand, founded/designed by husband and wife duo Faizaan and Suzy Lalani, have partnered with Cle Management to host a one-day pop-up event to sell off all remaining inventory and to close this business chapter with a celebration.

The brand was known locally for its high-quality contemporary men’s wear which was designed and manufactured in Vancouver. Their recent Lookbook featured clothing with a streetwear feel with unique cuts. The collections have included jackets, longline hoodies, draped cardigans, and buttoned shirts in muted hues which suited the west coast aesthetic.

The brand launched in 2015 and gained some traction by presenting at local fashion events, was stocked online and at Get Fresh Company in Toronto, and briefly at defunct Alfie Italia in Gastown and Rivermen in Mississauga.

Lalani has invited the public to shop with all items being under $100, and for those in the industry or interested in getting into manufacturing in Canada to come and ask questions of Encima’s experience to share with others looking to follow their dreams.

The event will take place at 430 Homer Street on Saturday, October 20th from 11am-7pm, with the celebration portion with DJ and beverages starting at 5 pm.

Wicker Emporium Chain to Shutter Operations: Retail Insider reported in July that Halifax-based retailer Wicker Emporium had run into financial troubles though it would attempt to continue with its operations. It’s now been reported that the company will close all of its stores after 47 years of business.

Last week an employee, wishing not to be named, told the Halifax Chronicle Herald that the furniture and home decor retailer will be closing its six remaining stores as a result of the bankruptcy. The company has assets of $720,000 and liabilities of nearly $5.4-million, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy.

The chain was founded by entrepreneur India-based Madan Kapahi in 1972 and five years later, he moved to Halifax to expand operations that sold goods from around the globe. The family-owned business had 23 stores in 2014.

Helen Siwak is the publisher of EcoLuxLuv.com Magazine, a Marketing & Media Strategist for numerous luxury based companies and content creator for local digital and print publications. When not writing, she is attending fashion events, traveling, and advocating for animal/human rights. helensiwak@yahoo.com.

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Mastermind Toys Announces Strategy Shift Amid Massive Store Expansion

By

Craig Patterson

-

October 11, 2018

Mastermind Store — Image: Mastermind Toys

Canada’s largest specialty toy and children’s books retailer, Mastermind Toys, has launched its first-ever loyalty program, click-and-collect, as well as an expansion that will include stores in smaller markets. The company is profitable and confirms that it has been experiencing healthy double-digit sales growth.

The loyalty program is called ‘Mastermind Toys Perks’ and will be available at stores nationwide as well as online. The company did some market research and found 94% of respondents indicated a strong desire for a loyalty program. What’s resulted is a partnership with Bond Brand Loyalty to create a program that recognizes and rewards loyal shoppers with exclusive and meaningful perks.

It’s free and easy to join, according to the retailer, with an impressive roster of benefits. Members enjoy free gift-wrapping and loot-bag assembly in stores, receive sneak previews and early alerts about new and tough-to-get items, get access to members-only promotions and events, not to mention receive customized offers and personalized toy recommendations. Perks members will also receive surprise gifts and rewards throughout the year to mark milestones like birthdays and holidays.

MASTERMIND STORE IN TORONTO’S ROSEDALE/SUMMERHILL AREA. PHOTO: CRAIG PATTERSON

“As the competitive Canadian retail landscape continues to transform at an extraordinary pace, finding new ways to connect with our customers is our top priority,” said Jon Levy, CEO, Co-Founder, and Chief Merchant, Mastermind Toys. “Our customers asked us for a loyalty program and it’s been in development for more than two years. We’ve carefully considered every facet in order to interact with our loyal customers in a more personal and relevant way. It’s also our way of saying thank you, we recognize and truly value your ongoing business,” he added.

Mastermind Toys is also the latest retailer to launch ‘click-and-collect’, where shoppers can reserve product online and pick it up at their preferred store locations. Within an hour of receiving the request, store staff set aside the selected items for the customer. Having launched in the summer, it’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with 93% of users saying they were “satisfied/very satisfied” with the service, and with the same percentage saying they are “likely/very likely” to use the service again.

“This service is so convenient and just makes sense for so many shoppers: customers that want a specific, special toy; that want to quickly come into a store, pay, get it gift-wrapped and roll out. For customers that prefer to pay cash, don’t have time for shipping, or just need to handle an item before they commit, this is the ideal,” said Humphrey Kadaner, President and COO, Mastermind Toys.

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And there will be more physical stores in Canada to choose from — by mid-November, the company will have opened six new Mastermind Toys stores in 2018, in St. Albert (Edmonton region), Alberta; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Hamilton, Ontario; St. John’s, Newfoundland; Sydney, Nova Scotia; and in Owen Sound, Ontario. When all are open, Mastermind Toys will have 65 stores and 1,175 employees in eight Canadian provinces.

The company has identified significantly more retail opportunities than expected for the company — when we first began reporting on Mastermind Toys in 2014, the company said that it expected to top out at 70-75 stores. Seeing success in a variety of markets and store formats, Mastermind Toys now plans to open at least 30 stores across Canada over the next three years, with 12 of those planned for 2019 alone. If the company reaches 12 locations next year, it will be the most in the company’s history — 2017 was a record breaking year for Mastermind Toys when it opened 11 stores across the country.

Furthermore, Mastermind Toys said in a press release that it plans to more than double its existing store count within the coming six years, which will bring its store count to more than 120 nationwide.

With that expansion, the company says that it plans to open approximately 25 stores in smaller markets. That expansion begins this fall with units in Sydney and Owen Sound as mentioned above, to be followed by units in Prince George, B.C. and in Medicine Hat, Alberta, which will both open in early 2019. Mastermind Toys says that it will announce more locations at a later date.

“We believe there’s a tremendous opportunity for Mastermind Toys to expand into smaller, untapped markets, providing consumers with convenient access to the quality, educational toys we offer,” said Mr. Kadaner. “We look forward to introducing customers in these communities to our fun and engaging specialty toy shopping experience.”

Mastermind Toys was founded in Toronto in 1984 by brothers Andy and Jon Levy, who wanted to offer shoppers a classic toy store experience. Its first location measured only 300 square feet, selling children’s software and home computers. It now carries thousands of educational toys, books, games, arts and crafts, puzzles and science kits. The Levy brothers partnered with Birch Hill Equity Partners in 2010, facilitating the company’s national expansion.

The company now boasts a curated selection of more than 10,000 of the best specialty toys, games and books, including first-to-market and exclusive items at a variety of price points. Unique brands and products include lifelike Hansa plush animals, fashion-forward ‘Our Generation’ dolls, the Moonlite Storytime Projector, Bruder and Siku vehicles, Magformers building toys, and Creativity for Kids craft kits, as well as top global brands such as LEGO®, Melissa & Doug®, Hape®, Ravensburger®, PLAYMOBIL® and Meccano.

Can Canada Learn From Australia’s High Tax Free Threshold?

By

Retail Insider

-

October 11, 2018

By Peter McRae, CEO of Platinum Freight Management

Canada’s $20 tax-free-threshold is about to rise to $150 after holding low at $20 for at least 30 years. It can be called a necessary response to an increasingly global marketplace, but the impacts of the change could be positive, negative or neutral, time will tell. I for one will be watching closely for the next year, as a Customs Broker licensed in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. We can look at Australia’s experience of a high tax-free threshold to consider the possible impacts of the change in Canada.

In an increasingly global marketplace, the economic cost of importing – and how to tax imports appropriately – is difficult to determine, but immensely important. There is no one answer on how governments should tackle their own Tax-Free Threshold (TFT), or if they should even have one (Canada and New Zealand have long sat in this camp). The magic number on a country’s TFT is still a work in progress. Australia has recently debated this issue and then aborted its own plans to change. Here we see Canada moving a little in Australia’s direction, so perhaps there is something Canada could learn from the Australian way.

Canada has operated an efficient import processing system for many years, working with an almost zero TFT. But in responding to a global marketplace and adjusting in order to participate more fully in it, can Canada remain efficient in the future?

PHOTO: CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY FACEBOOK

The change from virtually no TFT to $150 TFT is modest. Compared to Australia’s $1000 threshold, we could say it will be too modest still. But it will still have impact, both positive and negative.

Canada, Mexico and the US have operated for years with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and this change could be tied up in discussions around NAFTA. We can surmise that, given that USA provides its citizens with an $800 threshold, a step is being made to increase trade between them. The change does promote spending, and the US wants Canadians to spend it in the US. On the flip side, it works for Canadian consumers too. Suddenly Canadians can access the same items cheaper, simply by buying across the border. The benefits of buying online will increase, particularly if the seller offers free shipping, which it often will. Good news for the purchaser, and for the international online retailer.

The postal companies and the express carriers will also win in two ways – they will get more business as shipping increases, and the packages will move through faster, unimpeded by red tape in Customs Processing, this translates to better efficiencies and impressive meeting of KPIs.

This is a huge advantage for the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) too. At present, every single parcel entering Canada must be verified from the declaration sticker or the consignment note to determine taxes due. If no tax processing is required, the requirement for CBSA officials to closely monitor each package will be significantly lessened. There will be huge reductions in bottlenecks to process and release small parcels. This takes the pressure off border processing staff. But it could also mean reductions in head count for processing teams.

Which leads us to the downsides.

Canada’s retail landscape will be heavily affected, as has been highlighted already by the Retail Council of Canada. The change upsets the playing field for Canadian retailers. Customers will continue to try on items in store, where retailers are paying for rent, insurance, utilities, advertising and employment, as well as duty and GST/provincial taxes on the items they import to sell locally. But after sampling in store, customers can buy online for less. Being so close to the US, shipping times will be short.

Australia has the same issue but, on our distant shores, the cost of shipping hikes up the price often beyond what the local retailer is charging. While our playing field is far from fair, distance can limit the financial appeal of buying online compared to buying locally.

Another major concern is around revenue loss through fraud. Yes, CBSA will collect less tax for goods worth under $150, that much is clear and a non-issue for Canada, but only if the declared value is accurate. Which, if it’s not being checked as closely, could be easier to get away with. Here’s where Australia is the example. The loss to Canada could move into the billions when Canada’s new TFT opens the flood gates. Let’s hope Canada heeds but does not follow the Australian example.

I have talked about this at length through the Australian lens. Less Customs officials examining the small print on the importing declarations, or not even checking the declarations if the value states under $150, means more parcels slip in unnoticed. If authorities are no longer looking, they are inviting importers to value far more expensive goods just under the limit and then just slip through unnoticed.

In March this year the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association has already addressed its concerns regarding fraud. The Financial Post reported in 2017 that Canada is already losing $1 billion in taxes via the postal system. If there is $1 billion being lost now, what will this figure be in two or five years under a looser system?

In Australia, importers don’t have any reason to be honest if they don’t have any reason to believe they will be caught. And in Australia they don’t get caught. But perhaps in Canada they will, it remains to be seen. The biggest stopgap will be the number of processing staff kept on, and the regulatory decisions about how much to check and how often.

Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States are parties to the World Customs Organization (WCO). In applying the WCO cross-border e-commerce framework of standards, it has been addressed that customs authorities will continue to face challenges around illicit trade and fraud. The WCO Customs Risk Management Compendium explains the risk significance matrix, if the consequence is high and if the likelihood is high then extensive management is required.

High likelihood must be countered with high consequence. Australia has not put in place high consequences to its high likelihood for fraud, which is where Canada could observe and learn. This will be the difference between massive economic loss over time and an importing system that is moving with the times and responding to the increases in global trade.

For further information about Platinum Freight Management, go to www.platinumfreight.com.au

Peter McRae is a Certified Customs Specialist in Canada and the USA. He is also a Certified Trade Compliance Specialist in Canada. With 20 years industry experience, McRae runs a successful customs brokerage that he founded in Australia in 2000. Platinum Freight® Management is a leading independent customs brokering and freight forwarding company operating in Australia and with international offices, including New Zealand and soon Canada.

For further information or to contact Peter McRae, please contact Kristy Gordon with K’s Word Communications.

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