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UK Fashion Brand OASIS Said to be Entering Canadian Market

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Oasis store at Trinity Centre (Image: Retail Design Blog)

Is famous international women’s fashion store Oasis, based in the United Kingdom, poised to enter the North American market with its first location at the Halifax Shopping Centre?

One Halifax retail industry expert says the brand will be opening a store on the upper floor of the mall in just under 1,500 square feet, next to La Vie En Rose, in the Spring of 2018.

In a recent blog, Halifax ReTales also said the clothing store would be opening at the shopping centre.

Mark Allen, associate broker, vice-president of leasing with Avison Young (Maritimes) Inc., says from a retail new-to-market concept for Atlantic Canada the introduction of the Oasis brand would be a “major coup” for the Halifax Shopping Centre.

(CLICK FOR PDF HALIFAX SHOPPING CENTRE LEASE PLAN)

“It’s pretty surprising. It’s the first one in North America. It’s an international tenant with 400 retail stores . . . They’re in every continent. It’s absolutely amazing that Halifax Shopping Centre would be the first one in North America,” says Allen.

In the past, the retail industry in Canada would expect markets such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary to attract first-to-Canada international retailers.

But things are really on the upswing in Halifax, says Allen, with strong demographics supporting the retail industry.

“The new population has some pent-up demand and some expectations about retail,” says Allen. “It’s going to be great to see Oasis.”

Oasis store at Trinity Centre (Image: Retail Design Blog)

Stephanie Schnare, Marketing Director of the Halifax Shopping Centre for 20 VIC Management Inc., which manages the mall on behalf of owner the Ontario Pension Board, would not comment specifically on the speculation.

“We’ll continue to share updates with regards to new tenants coming into the centre,” she says. “We do look forward to welcoming some new retailers in 2017 and then some additional ones as well in 2018 and we’ll be sure to share that information on our website and our social channels.”

The Halifax Shopping Centre, which opened in 1962,  is about 645,000 square feet.

In the past year, the shopping centre welcomed the first-to-market Zara store in August on two levels, which was developed as part of the mall’s $70-million renovation and redevelopment project which started in late 2014.

Oasis store at Trinity Centre (Image: Retail Design Blog)

The Zara store is just over 25,000 square feet and it is located in an area of the mall which encloses a 14,000-square-foot skylight.

Next-door to Zara, a two-level H&M store opened in July.

“Those two fashion users are now occupying just over 50,000 square feet in that area of the shopping centre,” says Schnare.

She also says Levi’s will be arriving in late 2017.

“It will be one of the first stores that they have in Eastern Canada as well,” adds Schnare.

“We continue to see increases in our monthly sales for both our national and our local tenants. We do look to welcome new and exciting retail to Atlantic Canada. I think we’ve been in a very fortunate position to be able to introduce a lot of new-to-market retailers such as Apple and Michael Kors to the Halifax Shopping Centre and because of that we draw from quite a broad trade area and we really look at serving not only Halifax but also Nova Scotia and beyond that as well.”

Oasis store at Trinity Centre (Image: Retail Design Blog)

In 2016, the shopping centre opened its new food court area which is called Terrace – a destination for dining, entertainment and community events.

“It’s very bright and open. The design is very welcoming to everyone. It certainly elevates your idea of what previous food court experiences might be,” says Schnare.

In early October, the Halifax Shopping Centre was the gold winner for renovations/expansions in the Design & Development category at the ICSC Canadian Shopping Centre Awards during the group’s Canadian convention. The Halifax Shopping Centre won the award for its two-year, $70-million project which included the addition of 45,000 square feet of new retail space and the creation of Terrace.

*Photos in this article are via: Retail Design Blog* 

How POTLOC is Reinventing Retail Market Research

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Image: POTLOC

A Montreal company is transforming the way market research is done in the retail industry and it plans to expand its operations to Ontario, BC and the United States.

POTLOC’s mission is to build smarter neighbourhoods by giving consumers a voice. Every citizen in a defined trade area is asked to choose the next stores they would like to see open in their neighborhood. These hyper-local consumers’ insights are then used by retailers, real estate companies and cities to optimize the local retail offering.

“We’re disrupting the market research industry,” says Marc Obeid, Senior Account Manager with the company which uses social networks to source thousands of consumer insights.

“We’re a customer-centric data provider. What we have noticed in the past year is that the retail industry is changing a lot and the one thing that hasn’t changed is the way we capture consumer insights. We’re transforming the way market research is done.”

The company has 20 employees and it has a division in France. He says it will expand into Toronto within the next three months and into Vancouver next year. It is currently considering several options in the United States.

The company is changing the way market research is done by targeting a specific location and asking citizens specific questions about their consuming habits, preferences for retailers and their experiences with certain retailers.

The research provides key information for those in the real estate and retail industries for future decision-making.

It’s crowdsourcing at its finest helping enterprises to make decisions based on effective bottom-up data, with very low margin of error.

That’s important information for retailers to understand to determine if their stores would be successful in certain geographic locations. Also, it provides a tool for retailers to understand why some of their current stores are under-performing.

“For retailers & real estate companies, one of the greatest uses is we can speak with shoppers and non-shoppers within a defined trade area. Why people do not go into a certain shop at a specific location. What they dislike about it. Where they are going. And why they are going to that other place,” says Antoine Théoret-Poupart, Head of Growth for POTLOC.

“That’s one of our main highlights. We are giving insight I believe that nobody in the industry is giving. This is why companies like, ALDO, Decathlon, Carrefour or Cogir use our data”

Retailers are using this data to evaluate potential new locations or analyze under-performing stores. On the other hand, real estate companies are using it to get data to close and secure the right tenants or analyze under-performing malls.

Obeid says the company generates insights which are all about details. Decisions need no longer be made from general information. They can truly understand the local landscape much better with detailed information.

“What’s going down? Who are the competitors? Why are they more sensitive in this neighbourhood than other neighbourhoods? This is what we’re providing. It’s really hyper-local data that we generate for them,” adds Obeid. “We don’t use third-party data. We generate data specifically for each problematic.”

Cadillac Fairview Launches Innovative CF for Campus Program

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Shopping centre operator Cadillac Fairview is launching an innovative eight-month program designed exclusively for post-secondary students.

The CF for Campus program will take place in four malls across Canada – CF Market Mall in Calgary, CF Masonville Place in London, CF Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto and CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa. And the program will focus on bringing engaging experiences to this consumer.

“The (University of Calgary) is not only clearly part of our primary trade area – it sits directly in the same community that we sit in – we really know that connecting with our community and connecting with people who would be leaders of tomorrow not only makes a positive difference for them but it gives us an opportunity to deepen our connection with the post-secondary community and to help bring additional business in for retailers,” says Darren Milne, general manager of Market Mall.

The program will consist of a series of monthly Campus Nights for the rest of the school year at the four participating properties. Retailers in those malls will provide offers, discounts and in-store experiences for this demographic.

The shopping centres will also feature live entertainment, including a DJ, special guests, light snacks, and giveaways.

“The Cadillac Fairview initiative to engage students in select markets across Canada is a timely and effective marketing move designed to engage this highly astute and influential group of consumers. Aging demographics in metropolitan markets across Canada make it imperative that retailers and shopping centre landlords reach out to this consumer base in the 18 to 25-year range and cater to them over next 25-30 years as they move through their peak spending years during their period of new household formation, the child-rearing years and beyond,” says Michael Kehoe, an Alberta-based retail specialist with Fairfield Commercial Real Estate Inc., in Calgary.

The Campus Nights will take place from 5 p.m. to  9:00 p.m. on their respective dates.

On Campus Nights, eight CF Student Ambassadors – two per property – will serve as hosts for the post-secondary students.

Participating malls hosting the Campus Nights include:

  • CF Rideau Centre – Thursday, October 12 – At the Nordstrom Court (photos in this article are from the Ottawa event). 

  • CF Toronto Eaton Centre – Wednesday, October 18 – Albert’s Court;

  • CF Masonville Place – Thursday, October 19 – Centre Court and Saje Court;

  • CF Market Mall – Thursday, October 26 – Centre Court.

“At Cadillac Fairview, we aim to connect with unique groups within our communities, in this case, students,” said Craig Flannagan, Vice President, Marketing, Cadillac Fairview. “Our local student ambassadors will get to develop leadership skills through this opportunity and help their classmates feel welcome in our shopping centres, with the ultimate goal of being their go-to destination for dining, shopping and entertainment.”

**Photos were supplied by Cadillac Fairview. 

Mypixel Enables Small Businesses to Launch Creative Ad Campaigns

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Image: mypixel

Small businesses across the country now have a unique tool to help them participate in the $270 billion digital advertising industry and to be able to launch creative ad campaigns.

Montreal-based district m has launched mypixel, a self-serve programmatic advertising platform designed for independent businesses.

“Up until recently, you would need a serious level of experience and money to successfully execute programmatic campaigns. With mypixel, we want to level the playing field for small businesses and give them access to similar advertising opportunities as bigger companies,” says Adrian Pike, district m’s Chief Marketing Officer.

Image: mypixel

The company, which was founded about five years ago, also has offices in Toronto, New York and San Diego.

The new tool is geared to clients in Canada and the United States but could be used anywhere in the world.

Designed specifically for businesses who do not have the time, resources or experience to invest heavily in digital advertising, mypixel offers an integrated ad builder as well as clear and easy-to-understand targeting options to help small business owners launch their campaigns effortlessly. The platform is also equipped with a flexible reporting suite enabling users to track their campaign’s performance.

“We launched our e-commerce store in March 2016 and while I’m pleased with our growth, I was eager to develop our digital advertising,” says Jack Kaladjian, founder of Montreal-based Park and Finch Eyewear. “mypixel has allowed us to explore new advertising options which isn’t offered elsewhere. The platform is very user-friendly and has made it seamless for us to launch our campaigns. I’m excited to see more sales and even further growth.”

With smaller budgets and fewer staff resources, many smaller companies have felt that digital advertising is beyond their reach and budgets, says Pike, but with mypixel clients are able to undertake effective campaigns at any price level.

“The cost of entry is minimal, starting from as little as $3 a day. There’s a huge gap in programmatic advertising solutions for small businesses who have had very limited options. With mypixel, any company can create, launch and manage professional digital advertising campaigns from one powerful platform,” he says.

“Independent business owners just want to have a fair fight in their neck of the woods. With mypixel they can advertise in the same kind of places as much bigger brands can.”

Pike says there will be other audiences that the company can extend the platform out to later on but its first target is independent businesses.

Image: mypixel

district m is a full-service advertising exchange that creates open, transparent marketplaces through which publishers and advertisers can quickly and easily connect to maximize today’s digital advertising demand. Since its inception, it has served as a monetization partner to 7,500 websites globally by bringing incremental demand through over 200 unique brand partnerships.

It is consistently ranked as a Pixalate Global Seller Trust Index leader. It has been recognized with Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 2015 Jury’s Favourite award and Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 2016 Company-to-watch award. For the second year in a row, CEO and President Jean-Francois (JF) Cote was nominated for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

*Partner content. To work with Retail Insider, email: craig@retail-insider.com.

Brief: More Target Spaces Filled, Miniso Continues Expansion, Artemano Files for Creditor Protection

By
Craig Patterson
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Retail Insider is expanding its reporting content to include briefs with several topics, in addition to our regular reporting. Below is our second Brief, which includes retailers that are opening, as well as a retailer that recently filed for creditor protection. 

MINISO Announces Opening of 1st Ontario Store

Value-priced Chinese variety retailer MINISO is launching its Ontario expansion on Saturday, October 21, with a location at Pickering Town Centre, east of Toronto. The store will span 1,500 square feet, and will be the first of many for the Greater Toronto Area.  

MINISO opened its first Canadian stores in the spring of 2017 in Vancouver, where it continues to rapidly open locations. The company says that it plans to open as many as 500 stores in Canada in the coming years, with 15 of those planned to open over the next 15 months (we expect more, given its current pace). The company’s Canadian flagship is located on Vancouver’s Granville Street, and signage went up last week for a subleased location on the 1000 block of popular Robson Street. 

MINISO’s product offerings are also extensive, including home goods, kitchenware, underwear, cosmetics, toys and even electronics. Products are branded by name and are considered to be of exceptional quality for the price. The company was co-founded in 2013 by Japanese designer Miyake Junya and Chinese entrepreneur Ye Guo Fu, and is headquartered in Guangzhou, China. MINSO’s goal is to open 6,000 stores globally by 2020, averaging 80 to 100 store openings per month. 

Vancouver’s Meat & Bread Looks to Expand into Toronto

Vancouver-based sandwich shop Meat & Bread is looking to expand into the Toronto market. Meat & Bread opened its first location in Vancouver’s Gastown area in 2010, and has since expanded into other locations in Vancouver, Calgary and Seattle. 

The changing menu comprises of three meat-focused options such as organic carved-to-order lamb, beef/veal and bison that are slow braised or roasted. It’s signature offering, porchetta rubbed fennel, chilli salt and garlic, is available daily, along with a souped-up cheese toastie for non-meat eaters. 

Meat & Bread is working with The Behar Group’s Kelly Farraj & Robert Eklove for the Toronto expansion, seeking spaces in the 1,000 to 1,500 square foot range with strong daytime and lunch traffic in areas such as Liberty Village, King and Bathurst, Queen and Spadina, Entertainment District, Front and Jarvis, Yonge and College, Yonge and Dundas, The Annex, Yonge and Eglinton, and Yonge and Sheppard. 

Contact: Kelly Farraj, Vice President of Tenant Services, Sales Representative, kfarraj@thebehargroup.com, 416.636.8898 ext. 249. or Robert Eklove, Sales Representative, reklove@thebehargroup.com, 416.636.8898. ext. 249.

Kingsway Mall Unveils Target Space Redevelopment

Edmonton’s Kingsway Mall has unveiled renovations to its former Target space, which include the addition of anchor retailers Marshalls, HomeSense, and a replacement location for H&M. 

Marshalls occupies 26,000 square feet on the second level, with HomeSense occupying 23,540 square feet downstairs. H&M’s relocated store spans 23,500 square feet, growing from 16,275 square feet in its former space. 

The mall also recently saw a renovation to its Hudon’s Bay anchor store. Michael Hill jewellers will open in the mall in November, and Aritzia is relocating to a larger 5,042 square foot space in December. The mall’s Coles bookstore was recently repositioned as an IndigoSpirit location. 

Landlord Oxford Properties will have more space to fill once the mall’s 242,000 square foot Sears store closes towards the end of 2017. 

Centre Laval Also Secures New Target Space Tenants

The Centre Laval in suburban Montreal will see its vacated Target space filled by several new retailers — TJX’s Marshalls and HomeSense will both move in, occupying about 41,000 square feet of space, according to La Press. The rest of the space includes a recently opened 70,000 square foot location for sports retailer Sportium, as well as a 32,000 square foot location for Avril Health Food Supermarket, which will open in the spring of 2018. 

The La Presse article also notes that According to Paquin Recherche et Associés, 80% of the former Target spaces in Quebec are now occupied by Walmart, Winners, Old Navy, Surplus RD Furniture, Sportium, April, Canadian Tire, Urban Planet, Simons, Super C, Réno-Dépôt, and Ardene — the latter which might open more large stores as part of its newly launched ‘superstore’ concept. 

Yorkville Village Hosts OCAD Art Festival

Toronto’s renovated Yorkville Village shopping centre continues to host rotating art shows as part of its repositioning. From November 3 to November 8, Yorkville Village and OCAD University will host the fourth annual Yorkville Village Arts Festival at the centre. The festival will showcase over 50 original contemporary art pieces created by 28 OCAD University students and recent graduates. 

Artists selected to exhibit at the festival were chosen through a rigorous jury process, and all artworks on display will be for sale to the general public for the duration of the festival. Proceeds from the sale of the piece will be directed towards supporting educational programs at the nearby Jesse Ketchum Public School. 

Sponsors Sought for Retail Council of Canada Shopping Centre Study

Retail Council of Canada is launching its second Canadian Shopping Centre Study, which ranks Canada’s top malls on sales productivity, size and number of visitors, as well as examines trends seen among leading centres. There are a variety of advertising options available, with opportunity for considerable exposure — more than a million people viewed last year’s study, which is still being quoted in the press. Landlords, retailers and those providing products and services to the industry may wish to get involved. For more information on sponsorship, contact Mary Markou at: mmarkou@retailcouncil.org.

Artemano Files for Creditor Protection

According to Insolvency Insider, Laval QC-based home furnishings company Artemano filed a Notice of Intention (NOI) to file a proposal pursuant to Section 50.4 (1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act last month. KPMG has consented to act as Trustee under the proposal, and the NOI provides a stay of proceedings against the Debtor until October 29th, 2017. 

Artemano was founded in October of 2002 and its merchandise is sold through 12 retail branches located throughout Quebec and Ontario, as well as online. Liquidation sales have commenced. 

The company owes creditors more than $13 million: Notice of intention to file a proposal [PDF 3.4 MB] – 2017-10-03 [Subscribe to Insolvency Insider]

As well, check out today’s stories on Retail Insider: 

Mypixel Enables Small Businesses to Launch Creative Ad Campaigns: A Canadian company has launched a self-serve programmatic advertising platform designed for independent businesses: “We want to level the playing field for small businesses and give them access to similar advertising opportunities as bigger companies.”

Cadillac Fairview Launches Innovative CF for Campus Program: The eight-month program, designed exclusively to target post-secondary students, will include offers and experiences to encourage them to frequent CF’s centres. 

Retail Insider will now be regularly including these briefs as part of our expanding reporting mandate. For more information, contact Editor-in-Chief Craig Patterson at: craig@retail-insider.com. 

Brief: Bulgari to Open in Vancouver, Bailey Nelson Launches Expansion, Prada Mink Mile Overhaul

By
Craig Patterson
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Image: Brief

Retail Insider is expanding its reporting content to include briefs with several topics, in addition to our regular reporting. Below is our first Brief, which includes retailers that are opening, as well as a retailer that recently filed NOI under the Bankruptcy and Involvency Act. 

Bulgari to Open 1st Vancouver Boutique

Bulgari (AT HOLT RENFREW, CF PACIFIC CENTRE VANCOUVER. PHOTO: CRAIG PATTERSON)

Italian luxury jeweller Bulgari will unveil its first Vancouver boutique this fall at Holt Renfrew in CF Pacific Centre. The concession will be located on the ground level of the store’s accessories hall, alongside brands such as Links of London, Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton. Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew is undergoing an extensive renovation that will be completed in 2018. 

Bulgari opened its first (and currently only) standalone Canadian boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre in the winter of 2014. The Vancouver location will be the second official boutique in Canada, and the brand is also carried in a handful of upscale jewellery retailers nationally. 

COS Opens at Mississauga’s Square One

COS (PHOTO: DAVID A PIKE)

H&M‘s upscale fashion brand COS, which stands for ‘Collection of Style’, has opened a 5,060 square foot store at Square One in Mississauga. The store is located in the mall’s ‘luxury wing’, alongside Tory Burch, Rolex and Ferragamo stores, and across the hall from the mall’s 140,000 square foot Holt Renfrew store, which opened in the summer of 2016. 

It’s the fifth Canadian location for COS, and more locations are in the works. COS opened its first Canadian store in September of 2015 at 85 Bloor Street West in Toronto, and it also operates stores at 1310 Ste-Catherine St. W. in Montreal, at 18 Water Street in Vancouver, and at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. 

Bailey Nelson Begins Canadian Corporate Store Rollout

Bailey Nelson (PHOTO: MARTIN MORIARTY, VIA LINKEDIN)

Australian eyewear retailer Bailey Nelson is in the midst of its corporately-run Canadian store rollout. Its first Canadian location opened earlier this year at 1135 Robson Street in Vancouver, followed by a second location at 2169 W. 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. A third store also opened last week at 202 Carrall Street in Gastown. Martin Moriarty and Mario Negris of CBRE Vancouver negotiated the Vancouver deals. 

Toronto is next for Bailey Nelson, with a first location confirmed to be opening this fall at 732 Queen Street West. Bailey Nelson is working with CBRE Toronto Urban Retail Team under the direction of Jackson Turner, Arlin Markowitz, and Alex Edmison for the Toronto rollout. 

Prada Mink Mile Flagship Overhaul Nears Completion

The Prada store at 131 Bloor St. W. in Toronto is nearing the completion of a substantial expansion and renovation. The 5,889 square foot store recently gained a second level, resulting in a 13,600+ square foot space which is now being renovated with Prada’s latest design, including glossy black-and-white checkered flooring on the main level, and luxe furnishings throughout — similar to Prada’s impressive 8,200 square foot Vancouver flagship that opened in the spring of 2016. 

Prada also continues to expand its Canadian operations with shop-in-store concessions — the Vancouver Holt Renfrew accessories concession was recently revamped, and plans are in the works for Holt’s on Bloor in Toronto, as well as an eventual new location in Montreal when Holt Renfrew merges with Ogilvy. Prada also opened a concession at Saks Fifth Avenue’s Canadian flagship in downtown Toronto in the spring of 2016.

West Edmonton Mall Secures Tenants for Target Space

West Edmonton Mall (PHOTO: CRAIG PATTERSON)

North America’s largest mall is getting a few new tenants, following Target’s exit from the mall in the spring of 2015. According to signage, the ground floor of West Edmonton Mall’s former 126,000 square foot Target will feature a combined Winners/HomeSense store, spanning more than 62,000 square feet. On the second level of the former Target space, retailer buybuyBABY will open a 23,300 square foot store — the remaining 36,260 square feet on that level is currently occupied by a temporary location for Halloween Alley. 

The mall’s current Winners location will be replaced with a Marshalls store, according to West Edmonton Mall. Both Winners and Marshalls are owned by TJX Companies. West Edmonton Mall is also seeing other tenants which will be discussed at length in a separate article.

Mountain Warehouse Continues Rapid Canadian Expansion. Next Stop: West Edmonton Mall

North America’s biggest mall is also going to become home to UK-based outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse this fall, which has been quietly and rapidly opening stores nationally. The company has opened six stores in Canada this year under the direction of broker Patricia Scrivener of Northwest Atlantic, for a total of 32 stores nationally — not bad, considering that Mountain Warehouse opened its first Canadian store in 2013. 

Frank and Oak Opens 2nd Women’s Store

Image: Frank and Oak

Montreal-based fashion retailer Frank and Oak opened its first standalone women’s store in September in Montreal’s ‘Mile End’. Last week, a second one opened on Toronto’s trendy Queen Street West. The Toronto store is about 1,000 square feet, and Oberfeld Snowcap handles its real estate. 

Frank and Oak, which launched its women’s collection in 2016, began as an online men’s clothing retailer and subscription service in 2012, focused on providing “elevated basics” for millennial customers. The company has since opened more than a dozen brick and mortar stores throughout Canada and the U.S.

(See slideshow above for multiple images of the new Toronto store) 

Spareparts Files NOI

SPAREPARTS (YORKDALE STORE: VINCENZO PISTRITTO FROM BRANDON BARRE PHOTOGRAPHY)

According to newsletter Insolvency Insider, Saskatoon-based accessory/sunglasses/watch retailer Spareparts has filed a Notice of Intention after incurring substantial debt. Two of its companies filed NOI’s on October 2 and 3rd, respectively listing $6.3 million and $7.1 million in liabilities, including $3.9 million owed to RBC. Other creditors include Fossil, Oakley, Matt & Nat and The North Face, according to Insolvency Insider, which also notes that BDC is the second position lender, while KPMG is the proposal trustee. Law firm McCarthy Tétrault is acting as legal counsel for the company, and Torys LLP is acting on behalf of the proposal trustee. 

Spareparts rapidly expanded to 21 stores in Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC, Manitoba and Ontario, with some beautiful retail spaces in some of the country’s top malls. 

From KPMG: On October 2, 2017, 1031084 Alberta Ltd. filed a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal (the “NOI”), pursuant to Section 50.4(1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. On October 3, 2017, 623735 Saskatchewan Ltd. filed an NOI pursuant to the same legislation. 1031084 Alberta Ltd. and 623735 Saskatchewan Ltd. are herein referred to together as the “Company” and KPMG Inc. (“KPMG”) has consented to act as Trustee under the proposals.

The NOI provides a stay of proceedings against the Debtors for 1031084 Alberta Ltd. until November 2, 2017 and for 623735 Saskatchewan Ltd. until November 3, 2017. [Subscribe to Insolvency Insider]

Tailoring The Customer Experience to Boost Online Sales

By
Retail Insider
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exc-59e4241580bd5ea63fc901ab

By Michael J. Armstrong, Brock University and Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl, Brock University

Annual online retail or “e-tail” sales now exceed $19 billion in Canada, AUS$21 billion in Australia, US$410 billion in the United States, and US$1 trillion in China.

In the United States, conventional retail is growing but e-tail is growing four times as fast. Amazon already captures 43 per cent of American online retail sales, and it continues to expand into new retail categories, such as groceries, and new countries, including Australia. Other e-tailers such as Wish are also growing rapidly.

In response, brick-and-mortar retailers are enhancing their online offerings. For example, Walmart and Loblaws now allow customers to “click-and-collect” by buying online and picking up their purchases in-store.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are encouraging their customers to buy online and pick up their purchases in-store.
Clark Young/Unsplash, CC BY-SA

But e-tail isn’t easy. One challenge is foreign competition. Statistics Canada reports that 40 per cent of Canadian online sales come from foreign sources. That could increase if the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement winds up raising online duty-free limits.

For e-tailers, growth is not simply a matter of advertising more through Facebook or Google keyword searches. The fundamental problem is that only 2.5 per cent of retail website visitors purchase something.

Converting those browsers into buyers is difficult. To succeed, retailers need to tailor their websites and strategies to their target customers, whether they’re across town or across oceans.

Confident and trusting consumers?

The foundation for successful online retail is consumer confidence and trust. A multi-nation study, carried out by researchers from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University, found that consumers who feel confident using the internet generally view e-commerce more favourably. Likewise, consumers are more likely to buy from e-tailers they trust. If consumers lack confidence or retailers have bad corporate reputations, those must be fixed first.

With that foundation in place, companies can then turn their attention to the way their websites are designed. To encourage online shopping, websites should be useful: Do they have the products customers want? They should also be user-friendly: Is it easy for customers to find products and place orders?

For consumers with ample internet experience, usefulness has a greater impact on purchasing. For those with less experience, user-friendliness is more important.

Fun or functional designs?

Beyond those basics, web designers must make many other decisions. Another study shows the “best” choices depend on customers’ needs and wants.

For example, some consumers want to experience a sense of growth and accomplishment. These shoppers prefer web pages with colourful pictures and emotional language. They also like descriptions of the product’s performance or the pleasure it offers. Their favourite e-tail sites combine these features to make shopping fun.

The movie section of the Google Play store is a good example of pleasure-oriented design. Shoppers can watch previews, read and write reviews and rent movies.

By contrast, some shoppers say they want their shopping experience to feel secure and responsible. They want to avoid negative outcomes, such as accidentally ordering the wrong size or version of a product.

These negative-avoiding shoppers prefer pages with practical layouts and clear menus. They also like descriptions that emphasize product functions and reliability. Their favourite sites make shopping efficient.

Amazon’s site fits into this category. It offers many ways to search for products and suggests additional related products the shopper may like.

The best retail websites focus on one shopper type or the other — they don’t try to please both. Some customers dislike seeing the other type’s features, or get confused by the contradictions between them. For example, negative-avoiding shoppers not only prefer seeing more functional features, they also prefer seeing fewer fun ones.

Retailers wanting to reach both groups may need multiple sites. For example, Dell has different designs for its business and consumer web pages.

Available or habitual?

Online retailers should also support shopping via smartphones and tablets to build their business. Mobile or “m-commerce” offers consumers even more access or “ubiquity,” allowing them to shop for anything, anywhere, anytime. But research published earlier this year indicates that the best way to promote these services depends on customers’ previous m-commerce experience.

Online retailers are using coupons and membership programs to turn mobile shopping into a habit.
Photo Mix/Pexels, CC BY-SA

Some customers are relatively inexperienced with mobile shopping. To reach them, retailers’ advertising should explain the availability and convenience this service offers.

Retailers should engage with experienced mobile shoppers more directly, so that it becomes a habit. These consumers take availability as a given and respond to nudges like coupons, memberships and reward programs. Amazon Prime is a great example of this approach. The goal is to keep people coming back often, and inspire their friends to shop too.

Basic marketing, updated

While online shopping behaviours do vary from country to country, what matters more to e-tailers are the features of the individual market segments. For example, some developed countries, such as Canada, still have consumers with little e-commerce experience. Likewise, some consumers in less developed countries, such as India, are sophisticated online shoppers.

The ConversationEven with the latest trends and technology, retailers still need to know their customers to be successful. But e-tail requires the retailer to know a different set of things about their customers and to use different methods. The winning e-tailers will be those that use targeted offerings — whether through design or incentives — to capture consumers’ hearts and minds.

Michael J. Armstrong, Associate professor of operations research, Brock University and Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl, Professor of Marketing and Product Innovation, Brock University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Art Shoppe Retail Space for Lease at Yonge & Eglinton in Toronto

By
Craig Patterson
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Art Shoppe Lofts Rendering

Toronto’s Yonge and Eglinton area is growing rapidly, with thousands of new condominium units in the pipeline that are helping transform the area into one of the highest-density nodes in the country. With it comes new retail opportunities, and a block south of the intersection of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue is The Art Shoppe Lofts + Condos at 2131 Yonge Street, which at its base has an offering of top-quality retail space for lease.

Located at street-level, The Art Shoppe’s 25,890 square feet of available retail space boasts over 200 feet of frontage along Yonge Street, a complete city block. The space is divisible into numerous options, including restaurant and junior anchors up to 2,800 square feet, with frontages between 27 and 93 feet and ceiling heights soaring to over 20 feet. There are some exceptional patio opportunities along a widened Yonge Street sidewalk, including a highly visible corner at Yonge Street and Hillsdale Ave. East, as well. New BIA streetscape along Yonge Street from Davisville Avenue to the Art Shoppe is to be installed in 2020.
 
Foot traffic in the immediate area will be substantial when the project is completed — on the second level of the Art Shoppe retail podium, a 52,000 square foot grocery retailer will be accessed from a ground-level lobby adjacent to the available retail space that also includes direct elevator access to one and a half levels of commercial parking below grade. As well, located above it all will be 624 residential condominium units in the Art Shoppe Lofts + Condos, with its two lobbies designed by the world’s best-known fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld. 

The Yonge and Eglinton area consists of many young, well established, urban professionals with exceptionally high incomes, as well as a remarkable number of corporate headquarters in several nearby office towers. The area includes amenities such as nightclubs and pubs, as well as extensive retail offerings that will increase as development continues in the area. Notable, as well, is the fact that the Yonge and Eglinton intersection is the second-busiest pedestrian intersection in the city, with about 68,000 commuters entering and exiting the Eglinton Subway station daily, and over 75,000 vehicles passing by the intersection daily. 

The area will become even busier with the completion of a new transit station for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT line — the multi-billion dollar project is forecasted to be completed in 2021, and it will make the area even busier while adding enhanced connectivity, conveniently a block north of The Art Shoppe. 
 
The ground level retail space at the base of The Art Shoppe is currently for lease, and can be demised and customized to suit various tenants. The 20-foot ceiling heights offer flexibility of uses, making this project highly desirable for a variety of retail uses. For more information on this retail space, contact Arlin Markowitz, Senior Vice President at CBRE, at: arlin.markowitz@cbre.com or by phone: 416-815-2374. 

*Retail Insider occasionally profiles commercial real estate listings. For more information, contact: craig@retail-insider.com.

Mixed-Use Development The Plant Raises Sustainability Bar and Takes on Urban Agriculture

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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The Plant (Photo credit: William Suarez)

A unique mixed-use project in Toronto’s Queen Street West neighbourhood is raising the bar on sustainability and taking urban agriculture to a new level.

The Plant, a joint development between Windmill Development Group and Curated Properties, will be a 10-storey building with street front retail, second floor office space and eight residential condo floors. Construction will begin next week and completion is expected in the fall 2019.

“Windmill has been particularly known for its focus on sustainability. We’ve done probably the most sustainable buildings and communities in Canada, if not North America,” says Alex Speigel, partner with Windmill Development Group.

“The site has an interesting food history and also the area has a strong employment history. When we started the project we didn’t want to simply make another residential building but we really liked the idea of first of all being a mixed-use building and of it having some non-residential component. That’s the retail and the office. And second of all in addition to the sustainability features that we always build into our projects, we wanted to kind of the raise the bar even further on sustainability with an urban agriculture focus. Urban agriculture is a big part of the building.”

The Plant (Photo credit: William Suarez)

Speigel says the area was once an employment node with jobs in factories. But over time it became gentrified and turned into a much more residential neighbourhood.

The site also has a strong historical connection with food, having housed in the past Dufflet Bakeries and Real Food for Real Kids.

“We’re really focused on the theme of healthy living because the whole building is very sustainable, very healthy, focused on urban agriculture. So we’d really like to curate the tenants so they support and turn the whole building into kind of a vertical village. It epitomizes how you can live in a healthy way in an urban environment,” says Speigel.

The eight storeys of residential above the retail and office floors are set back from the podium. The third level has a large outdoor terrace with a community garden, amenities and a greenhouse.

The retail space is about 9,000 square feet and there is about 11,500 square feet for office space.

A total of 74 condo units were all sold very quickly after the sales launch in the Spring. Speigel says most of the units are two bedrooms with some three and four bedroom units. They have very large outdoor balconies which are designed so people can have gardens and plants where they can grow food.

The goal of the retail and office space is to support and enhance the rest of the building. Ideally for retail, Speigel says the developers are looking for independent brands focused on healthy living. The ideal mix would include a small food market with a bakery, cheese store and cafe; a bike store; a plant store; and a small restaurant.

The building will also have a large communal kitchen where people can host dinners, do vegetable canning or have guests chefs for a party.

“It’s partially so people can grow food to feed themselves but  . . . it’s really a way of building community within the building because it gives people a chance to meet their neighbours. Urban agriculture is about community building. It’s about education as well as about growing food,” says Speigel of the concept.

To become a part of The Plant business community, register at theplantqueenwest.com or e-mail info@theplantqueenwest.com.

Retail Insider to Launch Multi-Topic Briefs

By
Retail Insider
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Retail Insider is expanding its reporting to include briefs that will discuss several topics in one post, and these will be published in addition to our regular daily articles. We’re doing this because there’s a lot happening in Canadian retail, and this gives us an opportunity to efficiently report on topics that might be too short to warrant their own article, or might otherwise not have enough information to be lengthy. 

We will continue to publish our daily articles with original content as well as our daily ‘News From Around the Web’, in addition to the new Retail Insider Briefs. 

In the new Retail Insider Briefs, as well, we’ll be expanding our content to include more quick service restaurant reporting, as well as happenings, events, and other relevant topics that might be of interest to readers.  

We welcome pitches for our new multi-topic Briefs. For more information and to provide suggestions, feel free to contact Retail Insider’s Editor-in-Chief, Craig Patterson, at: craig@retail-insider.com. 

As well, if you haven’t already, consider subscribing to our daily e-newsletter — it’s free and comes out each weekday, and will keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in Canadian retail. [Subscribe Here]

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