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Honestly, Are Your Awesome Promotional Email Campaigns Being Unfairly Blocked by the Opposition?

By
Retail Insider
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By Eric Nykamp CEO of Raange, Inc., Guest Columnist

Let’s Talk About Your Business! Email Me @: Contact_Me@raange.com; Text Me @: (514) 613-3324 with Keyword ‘Blocked’

Did you ever wonder how your job relates to football? Let me shed some learning on the doubters..

They say the longest yard in football is the very last one separating you from the end zone.

You’ve spent many grueling hours training and preparing yourself for this opportunity – also armed with an amazing touchdown dance – but there are 11 menacing players on the opposing team who don’t want you to succeed; their sole goal is to block you from the end zone.

To succeed it comes down to teamwork, data, insights and calling the right play.

Football and marketing have quite a bit in common. Take email campaigns for example, your team works together to test and execute the perfect email campaign, but there are dark forces at work trying to block you from the end zone: the customer.

Don’t let the opposition block your email from your customer.

Spam filters, message categorization, fake email addresses and bad subject lines, this is the opposition that you need to prepare for to get through to your customer.

The menacing opposition explains the dismal industry statistics:

●      10% (in Canada) of emails are automatically doomed to the spam folder;

●      Sub 15% open rates in Retail; and,

●      An Avg CTR of 7%.

Meaning if you send 100,000 emails (assuming all go to real email addresses), assume 10,000 are automatically lost to the spam filter. Only 15,000 emails will be opened – on a good day – and less than 1,050 people will have clicked through to view your email at the end of the day. Some people are happy to get these results!

Ouch. Let’s call a timeout to regroup.

What if we can call a different play, wherein we use an audible (football 101: switch to a better play) that has a 95% open rate, with no spam filter. Suddenly, 95,000 emails would be opened, paired with the same CTR and you have more than 6,600 people view your email. That’s nearly a 660% increase in readers. I’ll let you finish the revenue projections…

Teamwork will help your email campaign get through the blockers

Email campaigns alone might not help you achieve your goal. That’s why it’s important to employ a team approach to targeting your customers. Try sending your digital campaigns by using a business SMS service, and we guarantee you’ll hit the end zone with almost 700% more accuracy.

Eric Nykamp is CEO of Raange, Inc., Founder at Mamoth-Group, TAARGA, RAANGE and Mamoth-Labs! Internet Strategist, Entrepreneur, Inventor, Investor, Husband, Father, Insomniac.

My goal is to elevate traditional brick & mortar retailers to quickly and easily transition to the latest marketing concepts and communication channels, to rebuild trusted dialogue with past, present, and future customers.

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

Decathlon Announces 1st Canadian Location

By
Craig Patterson
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Decathlon Storefront

Value-priced large format French sporting goods retail chain Decathlon has announced that it will expand into North America in the spring of 2018 with a location in suburban Montreal. Decathlon could disrupt the Canadian retail industry if it expands nationally, potentially threatening homegrown retail chains including FGL Sports, SAIL, Sportium, MEC, and even retailers such as Canadian Tire. 

Founded in France in 1976, Decathlon Group has more than 1,100 stores in 28 countries, with more than 78,000 employees and revenue of about C$15 billion. It designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of sports-related equipment and accessories, with over 20 in-house brands dedicated to different sports, and each with its own design team. The company has yet to enter the United States, though it opened a store last year in Mexico. 

Decathlon’s first Canadian store will open in the spring of 2018 at Mail Champlain in Brossard, just outside of Montreal. The company made the announcement in french on its newly launched Canadian website, which notes that the company’s Canadian headquarters are at 1 Place Ville Marie, in downtown Montreal. 

(CLICK FOR INTERACTIVE MAP)
(PHOTO: DECATHLON, VIA TWITTER)

Mail Champlain could be the first of multiple locations for Decathlon, though the chain will be cautious with its expansion, according to a November 2016 report in La Presse (in French). Oberfeld Snowcap represents Decathlon as brokerage in Canada (Contact: Sylvain Charron) and according to Oberfeld Snowcap’s website, Decathlon is seeking retail spaces in the 35,000 square foot to 45,000 square foot range in commercial centres that may also include power centres as well as freestanding locations. 

Decathlon will compete with a wide range of retailers in Canada, given that it carries well-priced sporting goods as well as some related apparel categories. FGL Sports (operating under multiple banners including Sport Chek, Atmosphere and Sports Experts), Sportium, MEC and SAIL could be most affected, and retailers such as Canadian Tire and Walmart, which also carry value-priced sport-related product, could also take a hit if Decathlon takes off in this country. Competition will certainly be present at Mail Champlain, which currently features a combined Sports Experts/Atmosphere space in the mall, spanning about 30,000 square feet. According to Oberfeld Snowcap’s website, Decathlon’s Canadian expansion plans are currently focused within the province of Quebec though given its penetration in other countries, that could be expanded to other regions at some point. 

*Thank you Carl Boutet for notifying us of this announcement. 

*Top photo: Edward Hands via Wikipedia.

Birks Divests US Operations in Unique Wholesale Agreement

By
Craig Patterson
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Birks Yorkdale

Canadian jewelry retailer Birks is selling its U.S.-based subsidiary Mayor’s Jewelers to Aurum Holdings Ltd. of the U.K. for about US$104.6 million.

Proceeds from the transaction will be used by Birks to continue its strategic growth initiatives, specifically to invest in its Canadian flagship stores and new store concepts, as well as in its high-growth brand wholesaling activities and e-commerce, as part of the company’s omni-channel plan.

Jean-Christophe Bédos, president and chief executive officer of Birks Group, told Retail-Insider the transaction is an important part of its vision to establish itself as a global luxury jewelry brand.

“The Canadian market is a growing market,” said Bédos. 

He said the company will use capital to grow its business on the e-commerce side as well as invest in store re-development.

(BIRKS AT TORONTO’S YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE: THE REPLACEMENT STORE OPENED IN OCTOBER OF 2016, AND IS BEING USED AS A PROTOTYPE FOR FUTURE BIRKS LOCATIONS. PHOTO: BIRKS. DETAILS RE: PROTOTYPE STORE: HTTP://WWW.RETAIL-INSIDER.COM/RETAIL-INSIDER/2016/10/BIRKS-YORKDALE
(IMPRESSIVE DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER BIRKS FLAGSHIP. PHOTO: VANCOUVER HERITAGE FOUNDATION)

Also, flagship stores in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal will go through some changes to enhance customer experience. That will include areas for events and exhibitions, coffee bars and libraries, which will have bookshelves with books about watches and jewelry.

“So people can come and spend good time. They don’t have to buy. They just have to hang around in the store. It will be very lifestyle,” said Bédos.

The renovated Montreal flagship at 1240 Phillips Square will be unveiled in June of next year, including converting part of the 58,450 square foot building into a luxury boutique hotel and a high-end restaurant. The Toronto Manulife Centre  store transformation will debut in the fall of 2018, followed by modifications to Vancouver’s 698 West Hastings Street flagship. 

“We are going to renovate our stores,” he said. “For us, the future is in the combination between bricks and mortar, web experience and what we call the wholesale strategy because we are expanding Birks’ jewelry collections via a network of independent jewelry retailers.”

(BIRKS AT TORONTO’S MANULIFE CENTRE WILL BE COMPLETELY REDONE. THE ONE-LEVEL RETAIL SPACE WITH STREETFRONT BOUTIQUES FOR BREITLING AND VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, WILL BE DIRECTLY BELOW A NEW EATALY. BIRKS WILL TEMPORARILY MOVE INTO ANOTHER RETAIL SPACE AT MANULIFE CENTRE WHILE THE EXISTING SPACE IS OVERHAULED. RENDERING: MANULIFE/B+H ARCHITECTS) 

Birks operates 26 stores under the Birks brand in most major metropolitan markets in Canada and two retail locations in Calgary and Vancouver under the Brinkhaus nameplate. It was founded in 1879. Mayors was founded in 1910 and operates 16 stores in Florida and Georgia under the Mayors brand and one store under the Rolex brand name.  Birks will continue operating Mayors until the deal closes this fall.

Aurum is the largest fine watch and jewelry retailer in the U.K

As part of the transaction, Birks entered into a five-year distribution agreement with Aurum to sell Birks jewelry in the U.K. in 14 locations at its Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths stores, including on their e-commerce sites. The Birks collections will continue to be sold in the United States through Mayors’ stores in Florida and Georgia.

“We believe that monetizing the value of Mayors gives us the ability to execute our strategic vision of investing in the Birks brand together with the retailing of internationally-renowned jewelry and timepiece brands in Canada, thus transforming Birks into a global, omni-channel business,” said Bédos.
“This transaction with Aurum also opens the doors to the U.K. market for our jewelry collections.”

(THE 58,450 SQUARE FOOT MONTREAL FLAGSHIP IN 1895. BIRKS CONTINUES TO OCCUPY THIS BUILDING, THOUGH ITS CURRENT STORE WILL BE REDUCED IN SIZE TO 7,500 SQUARE FEET IN ORDER TO FACILITATE AN ON-SITE LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT. IMAGE: BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES NATIONALES DU QUÉBEC / 52327/2082991) 

Aurum was established in 2007 and has 130 collective stores.  The retail portfolio comprises of brands including Watches of Switzerland, Goldsmiths, Mappin & Webb, Watchshop, The Watch Hut and The Watch Lab.

“We have admired Mayors for some time and see a great deal of similarities with how we operate our business in the U.K. Mayors has built a fantastic reputation in Florida and Atlanta, Georgia over many decades,” said Brian Duffy, president of Aurum

Birks will also expand the offerings of some of the exclusive brands carried in its Canadian stores, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet and Messika.

*Editor’s note: Birks is represented in Canada by Jeff Berkowitz of brokerage Aurora Realty Consultants. 

Canada Goose Announces Standalone Calgary Flagship

By
Craig Patterson
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Popular fashion brand Canada Goose will open three new stores this fall including the brand’s second location in the country at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary.

The company will also open stores in Boston and Tokyo.

“I’m so excited to open our doors and welcome our first customers here in Calgary, a city that’s no stranger to unpredictable weather. This store will be the best place for people to find the perfect Canada Goose product in an environment that tells our story, unfiltered,” said Dani Reiss, president and chief executive officer of Canada Goose, in a written statement to Retail Insider. He was not available for further comment.

The company said the Calgary store will be located in one of the city’s most prominent neighbourhoods and is home to some of the world’s best consumer and luxury brands.

While unconfirmed, sources say that Canada Goose will move into the 3,984 square foot retail space recently vacated by American women’s fashion retailer BCBG. 

Canada Goose, one of the world’s leading makers of performance luxury apparel, was established in a small warehouse in Toronto in 1957.

The company today employs more than 2,000 people worldwide.

Canada Goose opens its doors in the city it calls home (CNW Group/Canada Goose)

In fall 2016, Canada Goose opened the company’s first two flagship stores in Toronto, at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (4,500 square feet) and in New York City’s Soho area. Previously announced additional stores in London, U.K. (Regent Street), and Chicago (800 N. Michigan Avenue) will also open in fall 2017.

On Thursday, Canada Goose announced its fiscal 2018 first quarter results for the period ended June 30, 2017 Total revenue increased $12.5 million to $28.2 million driven by growth in direct-to-consumer channel and accelerated timing of wholesale shipments; gross margin expanded to 46.9 per cent from 29.7 per cent in the prior year; net loss was $12.1 million, or $0.11 loss per share, and adjusted net loss was $13.2 million, or $0.13 loss per share.

In a news release announcing the new store openings in the fall, Reiss said the company is excited to extend its footprint in North America “where we know our brand’s proud Canadian heritage and unparalleled product innovation and design resonates with locals and tourists alike.”

“Having a flagship store in Tokyo is particularly exciting as Japan continues to be one of our strongest growing markets and we can now better answer the call of our Asian customers by giving them an opportunity to engage with our brand, unfiltered,” said Reiss. 

Operated by the company’s distribution partner, the new Canada Goose 3,100-square-foot flagship store in Tokyo will be located in the Sendagaya neighborhood, recognized as one of the high-end fashion centres of Japan. In Boston, the Canada Goose store will be located in the Prudential Center, one of New England’s top shopping destinations, boasting more than 75 specialty stores. 

Adidas Unveils 1st Canadian Originals ‘Neighbourhood Concept’ Store Renovation

By
Craig Patterson
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German fashion and athletic brand adidas has unveiled its renovated adidas Originals store in Toronto, and renovations are now underway on its Vancouver and Montreal ‘Neighbourhood Concept’ locations, as well. Included are elements of ‘localization’, with each store being unique. 

The Toronto store, which opens to the public at 11:00am Friday morning, is located at 389 Queen Street West, in the heart of one of the city’s trendiest shopping areas. Renovations of the existing location commenced several months ago. The store features adidas Original fashion apparel as well as some designer collaborations and limited edition pieces.

Adidas operates ‘Neighbourhood Concept’ locations around the globe. Each of these stores is similar in design, but also feature their own unique local elements that embody the neighbourhood they are located in. For the Queen West location, adidas Canada partnered with Toronto-based illustrator, Gyimah Gariba, who created bespoke art installations for the new store. As well, designers Sean Brown, Amrit Kumar and Mriga Kapadiya of NORBLACK/NORWHITE and artist Mango Peeler collaborated on a collection of customized t-shirts that will be available as an exclusive gift with purchase when the store opens. 

The Toronto Queen Street store’s ground level features a retail space open to the public. Upstairs is a unique ‘activation space’ that plays “an important role in connecting and celebrating Toronto’s creative culture that embodies the adidas Originals brand ethos and the ‘Neighbourhood Concept’ mandate,” according to the company. 

Renovations are now underway on adidas Originals’ Montreal (1258 Ste-Catherine St. West) and Vancouver (848 Granville Street). In an interview with Retail Insider several months ago, John Summers, Vice President of ‘direct to consumer’ for Adidas Canada, explained how the Toronto Queen Street location reflects a “trend savvy” aesthetic as per the area’s demographics, while the Vancouver Granville Street store will cater to a similarly ‘hip’ demographic. The Montreal fashion store will see an “elevated execution” to address the high-fashion shopper on Ste-Catherine Street West, Mr. Summers explained. Both stores will open later this year. 

Links of London Continues Canadian Standalone Boutique Expansion [Photos]

By
Craig Patterson
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Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)

UK-based luxury jewellery brand Links of London has opened its third freestanding Toronto store. According to Leela Petrakis, North American President at parent company Folli Follie Group, more will follow as the brand continues to see success in the Canadian market. 

Links of London opened its first two Canadian boutiques in the summer of 2016, both in Toronto. The 860 square foot CF Toronto Eaton Centre location opened first, followed by a 1,200 square foot store at CF Sherway Gardens (featuring a small in-store tea salon). With three freestanding Toronto boutiques, New York City is the only place in North America with more Links of London locations. 

Last week, Links of London opened a boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, marking its third for Toronto. The 615 square foot boutique is located in the mall’s expanding luxury wing, next to the mall’s future location for Ladurée and across from French luxury brand Saint Laurent. 

“Our Toronto Eaton Centre and Sherway locations are doing fantastic,” explained Ms. Petrakis, and the Yorkdale store is expected to be a strong performer. Ms. Petrakis explained that Links has been seeking space at Yorkdale for about three years, and that its current location is ideal. 

Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)

“There is a different customer in each mall, and we see room for even more stores in Toronto,” she explained. “I love Toronto. It is big, diverse, and every neighbourhood has its own experience. The city is in constant change, with people coming from various parts of the world. Retail is thriving in Toronto, and there is an incredible energy in its various malls,” she said.  

The Yorkdale boutique has a design aesthetic that is more ‘sleek’ than Links’ first two Toronto stores. And despite its jewel-box size, the store has a family-friendly functionality. “There is room for strollers at the Yorkdale store and there is also seating in the back”, explained Ms. Petrakis. Rather than product being in wall displays, much of it is in ‘bars’, including a bracelet bar, where consumers can view product from above in a user-friendly environment. It was important that customers be able to see into the store and with that, Links has ensured that its facade provides visibility to what is contained within.

Product customization is a unique feature to the new Yorkdale boutique — an engraving corner allows customers to personalize pieces. The customization area is located towards the front part of the store, allowing passers-by to easily view its presence.  

Freestanding stores allow Links of London to showcase its expanded offerings, while also providing an intimate one-on-one experience between customers and floor staff. Links also has a VIP program, with promotions held throughout the year, she explained. 

Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)

Looking to the future, Ms. Petrakis said that she expects more freestanding Links of London locations to open in Canada. “We are definitely looking at the West Coast,” she said.  

Links of London also operates a network of shop-in-store concessions at several Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. Ms. Petrakis described how the Mississauga Square One concession, which opened in the summer of 2016, has done so well that it recently expanded to more than double its original size. Links also operates concessions at Holt Renfrew stores in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto Bloor Street, and in Montreal at Ogilvy, which operates under Holt’s parent company Selfridges Group. 

Links of London currently operates five freestanding U.S. locations, with four stores in New York City and a brand new store at Forum Shops in Las Vegas. Links of London also operates shop-in-shops at select Bloomingdale’s on both coasts in the United States. The Links of London brand was founded in 1990 and has grown to become a global luxury brand. In July of 2006, the company was sold to Greek conglomerate Folli Follie SA. The name ‘Links’ originated from the brand’s first product — the iconic salmon cufflinks, which became the springboard for its unique jewellery, timepieces and gifts for both genders. 

*Photos are all of the new Yorkdale boutique, courtesy of Links of London, via NKPR. See below for more photos.

Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)
Links of London at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Image: NKPR)

Escents Announces Store Expansion

By
Craig Patterson
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Escents at Toronto's Holt Renfrew Centre (Image: Craig Patterson)

Escents, the Canadian beauty and wellness retailer, is celebrating the opening of its twenty-third national location, a stand-alone boutique in Saskatoon’s Midtown Plaza, the first for that city. 

Founded by Jacqui MacNeill in 1992, the company started with a small location in North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Quay, a prime tourist destination. The move proved to be a savvy one, as the brand’s organic growth is attributed to its niche product. Boasting a comprehensive aromatherapy and beauty line including bath bombs, essential oils, soaps and shampoos, Escents is an originator of the plant-based wellness movement that has since been parlayed into a national retailer. MacNeill is the Escents CEO, and remains connected with her customers through her eponymous blog. The brand’s most recent widespread expansion occurred in 2015, which saw Escents double their national presence in a single year.

Escents recently entered into a retail partnership model to cultivate entrepreneurs who wish to run their own business. Locations are hand-picked by the brand, and partners and brokers work closely with the head office to ensure there is market reach without oversaturation. Partners are responsible for building, opening, and running the store on a daily basis. The Midtown Plaza Saskatoon location, for instance, is being opened in partnership with the Regina location’s retail partner, in collaboration with corporate entities to ensure that the location will best serve their market. Of the brand’s 22 domestic locations, four are currently in the partnership model.

Image: Escents

Conversely, Escents operates under a franchise model in Taiwan, where they have 30 locations throughout the country, including several in the venerable Mitsukoshi department store. The brand has performed strongly in Asia, with four Japanese locations including Tokyo and Osaka. Escents has been in partnership with Air Canada and Eva Air for several years, as they are the provider of in-flight beauty products for the carrier.

Escents is now focusing on the greater Toronto area, with a location opening at Richmond Hill’s Hillcrest Mall in August of 2017. The plan is to expand to as many as ten stores between now and 2020. The Hillcrest location is a natural choice, as the neighbourhood is home to a large portion of the GTA’s Asian population who are already familiar with the brand from its presence in Asia. 

In addition to the GTA expansion, Escents will also focus on wholesale merchandising. The brand provides training and product knowledge to build increased brand identity for markets in which they have less penetration or retail presence. The brand has also recently launched a new baby line, focusing on child-friendly 100%-natural infant products such as shampoo, lotion and wash. This signifies a move for the brand from a pure retail model to a blended one. 

With 52 locations in Canada, Taiwan and Japan, and an increasing presence in the wholesale market, Escents Aromatherapy will be expanding into the national retail consciousness for years to come.

Poppy Barley Unveils 1st Permanent Standalone Flagship [Photos]

By
Ritchie Po
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Poppy Barley at Edmonton's Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)

Poppy Barley, Edmonton’s famed leather bespoke footwear company, opened a 1,000-square foot flagship at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre last week.

Opening day festivities included a meet-and-greet at noon with Style at Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Erin McLaughlin. The brand’s Mexican Operations Manager, Laura Obregon-Cordova (who is also the brand’s first employee), traveled to Edmonton for the occasion. Taking a cue from Willy Wonka, five lucky customers who purchased in-store received an envelope at checkout containing a Golden Ticket that entitles them to free shoes. Select designs from the brand’s fall 2017 collection were also unveiled.

The flagship not only contains made-to-measure design styles, but also a select number of ready-to-wear designs. The brand is bringing the online experience to the store through a made-to-measure consultation lounge and a tactile leather wall displaying the designs. This is intended to introduce new customers to Poppy Barley’s bespoke business model, and also provide an offline experience for the initiated clientele. Poppy Barley intends to convert its long-standing Whyte Avenue location into office space, with client-facing measurements migrating to the new flagship.

Poppy Barley was founded in 2012 by sisters Justine and Kendall Barber, creating bespoke shoes for women. The brand, known for their distinct colours and unique eye for detail, eschews the traditional ready-to-wear line in favour of bespoke shoes, which are designed and created online by their clientele. In order to accommodate varying requirements, customers are invited to submit their measurements online, and the shoes will be hand-made and delivered right to their door (for a flat fee of $9.95), creating the ultimate bespoke footwear experience. Due to demand, the brand has expanded to include a men’s line, while remaining at an affordable price point for consumers.

Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)

Poppy Barley’s aesthetic crosses numerous demographics, and easily transitions from day-to-night. It remains the very first North American footwear brand to offer made-to-measure boots online. As their designs are not intended to be mass-produced, their more popular designs often sell out. Prior to the launch of its first-ever brick-and-mortar location, Poppy Barley hosted pop-up shops in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Toronto, and Vancouver. The pop-up shops are so in-demand that appointments for their events sell out weeks in advance. Those familiar with the brand have long sought it out at select boutiques, such as their very recently expanded shop-in-shop at Vancouver’s Nicole Bridger in historic Gastown.

The brand is noted for its involvement with the community and for sustainability. Poppy Barley shoes are made in León, Mexico. Partner factories are chosen to commit to the brand’s goals for environmentally-friendly footwear and reduce its carbon footprint. “Our suppliers are exceptionally innovative, environmentally conscious and forward-thinking”, says Caroline Gault, the brand’s Director of Content and Community. “Right now, our tannery cleans and recycles the water it uses in the leather tanning process so that the water can be safely restored into the water system”.

Poppy Barley brings an edgier, design-conscious aesthetic to Southgate Centre, representing a homegrown Canadian success story. “We’re focused on making our first physical retail environment in Edmonton a rich and fulfilling experience for our customers, and our team”, Gault said. Long known as a best-kept secret, Poppy Barley has developed a fiercely devoted clientele of tastemakers, and should enjoy much success in its new flagship. And the Southgate location might not be the brand’s last permanent freestanding store — Calgary and Vancouver could be next, pending performance at the Southgate flagship. 

See below for more store photos, courtesy of Poppy Barley. 

Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)
Poppy Barley at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre (Image: Poppy Barley)

Are you listening to your customer?

By
Retail Insider
-

By Eric Nykamp CEO of Raange, Inc., Guest Columnist

Let’s Talk! Email Me @: Contact_Me@raange.com; Text Me @: (514) 613-3324 with Keyword ‘Listen’

I love talking about the customer lifecycle because I spend my days acting as the bridge connecting my clients with their customers.

And sometimes I’m left wondering if we’re truly listening to the customer, not customers – each unique customer. It doesn’t seem like it.

I cringe as companies blast one message across an entire database. Your database should be your lifeline. Your golden ticket to loyalty, to sales targets and to increased customer lifetime value.

Demand Better Results From Your Database

You’ve invested so much time and effort into building this beautiful database full of loyal clientele, not to mention the team you invest in (operating costs) to craft the perfect communique for distribution; you should never risk letting one message push customers away and diminish your brand.

The larger your database, the more powerful your ROI should be.

I’m not talking figuratively either, according to a recent 2017 Mobile Consumer Report retailers found that their average database subscriber spends over $300 a year more than customers who haven’t opted-in.

Optimizing the way you utilize your database to increase retention will drive better customer engagement and sales.

How Do You Make Amends with your Database? Commit to Personalization.

New Adlucent research found that consumers prefer a personalized advertising experience and that 71% of respondents prefer ads tailored to interests and shopping habits.

Personalization powered by preferences.

Quite often we make decisions backed by research-driven assumptions, when sometimes you just have to ask your customers what they want. Sounds old school, but it works.

Businesses need to start collecting unique customer preference data. By giving each customer control over the information s/he receives, you can ensure they get the information they want.

Collecting preferences to power a personalized experience is a good approach to showing each customer that you are listening.

Eric Nykamp is CEO of Raange, Inc., Founder at Mamoth-Group, TAARGA, RAANGE and Mamoth-Labs! Internet Strategist, Entrepreneur, Inventor, Investor, Husband, Father, Insomniac.

My goal is to elevate traditional brick & mortar retailers to quickly and easily transition to the latest marketing concepts and communication channels, to rebuild trusted dialogue with their past, present, and future customers.

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

Cadillac Fairview Announces Completion of CF Shops at Don Mills Redevelopment (Photos)

By
Craig Patterson
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Landlord Cadillac Fairview has completed a $21 million redevelopment of its 40-acre CF Shops at Don Mills property in Toronto. Renovations include public realm upgrades, expanded entertainment zones, and an overall enhancement of the amenity offerings to the outdoor lifestyle shopping centre. 

The centre, which opened to the public in 2009, upgraded its landscaping, furniture, and seating options, as well as added new art installations that have revitalized the look of the property. The centre’s existing water feature has been refreshed to include ‘artistic features’, according to Cadillac Fairview. 

“CF Shops at Don Mills is more than a shopping centre, it’s a 40-acre, integrated community, featuring a range of independent and international retail brands, office space, elevated dining options, as well as a community park, three residential towers, with four to follow, and a future community centre,” said Niall Collins, Senior Vice President, Development, Cadillac Fairview. “When we began transforming the centre last year, our intent was to provide further integration with the growing condo community and amplify what was already a vibrant, mixed-use destination where people come together.”

Customer feedback led to updated wayfinding for pedestrians includes improved walkways which include wider sidewalks, new access points, and improved site-wide signage. A new pedestrian connection off Karl Fraser Road was installed to offer better access from the centre’s four-level parking structure. Mr. Collins explained how, after studying pedestrian traffic patterns, it was decided that the new connection should be created by relocating the centre’s Browns Shoes store to create the pedestrian access, which will soon include several smaller retail concepts facing onto the walkway. 

Vehicular navigation also saw a recent revamp, including adding new illuminated digital signage and large entry identifier pylons. The centre’s four-level parkade has been updated with digital signage that displays real-time parking counts — the 1,000 stall structure offers free parking for visitors. In total, CF Shops at Don Mills has over 2,900 parking spaces for visitors. 

CF Shops at Don Mills’ entertainment experience zones at the junction of Leadly Lane and Karl Fraser Road have been expanded, as well as O’Neil Road with patio zones and overhead catenary lighting. These spaces, along with the centre’s ‘Town Square’, offer opportunity to host outdoor events and activities throughout the year, assisted by a property-wide music speaker system meant to heighten the ambiance. 

Nick Iozzo, Director, Leasing at Cadillac Fairview, explained how CF Shops at Don Mills has provided the landlord the opportunity to incubate, curate, experiment and innovate. He noted that Cineplex launched and tested its first VIP theatre concept at CF Shops at Don Mills, and how a number of unique concepts have become part of the mix. High-end performance bike shop ‘The 11’ recently launched at the centre, and King Street-based body art concept Black Line Studio will soon open its first uptown location at CF Shops at Don Mills. What’s resulted is a unique outdoor community centre that has also seen a number of ‘firsts’ added to its premises, including the fall 2017 opening of Toronto’s first Starbucks Reserve Bar, which will span an impressive 3,800 square feet. 

Mr. Iozzo also noted that the centre saw the opening of sporting goods retailer Salomon‘s first store in North America in the spring of 2009, Anthropologie‘s first Canadian store (also in 2009), art photography retailer YellowKorner‘s first Canadian location, Mark McEwan‘s first grocery store, and online retailer Well.ca‘s first brick-and-mortar location. Frank and Oak‘s first shopping centre store opened at CF Shops at Don Mills in 2015, spearheading a partnership with Cadillac Fairview that will see the Montreal-based brand open in multiple centres across Canada. 

As well, “live-in” customers are being added to the centre, with developers building several new condominium towers that will eventually see an estimated 4,500 residents in 2,800 residential units on-site. Mr. Collins explained that three projects have been completed, and four more are in the works. Adding residential buildings to shopping centres is a trend increasingly seen in major malls, and the next wave is expected to include rental towers, according to experts. 

*Photos courtesy of Cadillac Fairview. 

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