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The RONA Foundation launches its second Home Sweet Home campaign

Padam Dugal, Store Manager, RONA Scarborough Midland, and team members. (CNW Group/RONA inc.)

The RONA Foundation, which oversees the philanthropic activities of RONA inc., one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers operating and servicing some 425 corporate and affiliated stores, is launching its 2024 Home Sweet Home campaign, raising funds to revitalize living environments or facilitate access to housing for Canadians in need.

The campaign will run from September 1 to 30 in all RONA network corporate stores, as well as in participating distribution centres and RONA affiliated stores.

Catherine Laporte

“Our in-store and distribution centre teams are inspired by this timely cause, and they’re motivated because each team chooses the local organization it wants to support. Some non-profits sometimes find it harder to raise donations because they don’t have the infrastructure of a big national organization behind them. That, we’ve got,” said Catherine Laporte, Chair of the RONA Foundation Board of Directors and Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Customer Experience at RONA.

RONA said the campaign will support nearly 150 Canadian non-profits that help victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and people with disabilities or mental health issues.

“Every person should have a safe place to live. That’s something I strongly believe in, especially given the issue of access to housing that affects so many Canadians today,” said Josée Lafitte, Director of the RONA Foundation.

RONA network customers across the country will be invited to make a donation to support a local cause during their in-store visits. Online shoppers will also have the chance to participate by making a donation when shopping on rona.ca.

To consult the list of organizations supported in your region, click on the following links:

Visit us at ronainc.ca/en/corporate-responsibility/communities to learn more about the RONA Foundation and the Home Sweet Home campaign. To share this news on social media, please use @RONAEN (Facebook), @RONA (LinkedIn), and @RONAinc (X, formerly Twitter).

The RONA Foundation is a charitable organization created in 1998. For its 25th anniversary, in 2023, the RONA Foundation redefined its mission, which is to improve the quality of life of Canadians in need by revitalizing their living environments and making it easier to access housing. In particular, it aims to help victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and people living with disabilities or mental health issues. Visit ronainc.ca to learn more about the RONA Foundation.

RONA inc. is one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers headquartered in Boucherville, Québec. The RONA inc. network operates or services some 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick’s Lumber banners. www.ronainc.ca.

Specsavers opens first Manitoba stores in Canadian Expansion

Specsavers Canada (CNW Group/Specsavers Canada)

Eyecare and eyewear brand Specsavers has opened its first Manitoba stores at CF Polo Park and St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg.

The company said more locations are opening in 2024 including its third location September 12 in SmartCentres Winnipeg West.

An August 2024 Leger survey commissioned by Specsavers of Manitobans who wear corrective lenses revealed that 50 per cent feel that there aren’t enough affordable glasses options available in the province. When taking into consideration the level of quality available, 75 per cent felt they would like to have more quality, affordable options available to them, according to the survey.

Bill Moir

“Our eyecare professionals are excited to welcome customers into our new locations. Specsavers offers high quality and stylish eyewear collections alongside friendly, professional service,” said Bill Moir, Managing Director of Specsavers Canada. “We know that for too many people in Manitoba, the cost of eyewear can be a barrier to better vision. It is concerning when people choose to delay important eye exams to avoid the cost of their eyewear purchase. At Specsavers, no one has to compromise on quality or style to stay within an accessible price point.”

Specsavers is offering complete glasses from $39 including standard single vision lenses and scratch resistant treatment until September 22.  Everyday offers include glasses with progressive lenses from $149. Seniors over the age of 65 get 50 per cent off their lens upgrades starting September 9.

Specsavers Canada at The Pen Centre (Image: Specsavers Canada)

Specsavers’ new study also shows that of Manitobans who wear glasses:

  • Nearly one in four would like to see more stylish/fashionable options
  • 30 per cent would like to see more choice in the market in general
  • Half shop around at multiple stores to find the best price
  • 41 per cent will also visit multiple stores to find the right style

Specsavers is an optometrist-owned and-led business that entered the Canadian market in late 2021. Since then, over 125 locations have opened across the country, in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and now Manitoba. As part of Specsavers’ commitment to accessible eyecare, Specsavers equips every location with optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology, which helps optometrists to detect sight-threatening conditions, such as age‑related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease, in their earliest stages.

Founded in the UK 40 years ago by optometrist husband-and-wife team, Doug and Mary Perkins, there are now more than 2,700 Specsavers healthcare businesses globally, serving over 44 million patients and customers.

Specsavers said it is driven by its purpose of “changing lives through better sight” and aims to transform the way Canadians experience eyecare by offering exceptional service, advanced clinical equipment and affordable and quality eyewear.

WOW! mobile boutique marks 10th anniversary with expansion plans and new Ottawa store

Photo courtesy of Wow!

WOW! mobile boutique, one of Canada’s premier multi-carrier wireless retailers, is celebrating its 10th anniversary, marked by significant growth, and ambitious expansion plans.

The company said it continues to revolutionize the wireless retail experience for Canadians by offering their signature personalized, unbiased advice.

The latest expansion is into Ottawa’s CF Rideau Centre, which the company said will tap into a market of 20 million annual shoppers.

And it also plans to broaden its offerings throughout 2024, including small business solutions.

Scott Grover

“Over the past decade, WOW! mobile boutique has become synonymous with retail excellence beyond selling phones in traditional environments,” said Scott Grover, Managing Director of WOW! mobile boutique. “Our 10th anniversary isn’t just a celebration of our past; it’s a launching pad for our future expansion, innovation and involvement in the communities in which we live, work and play.”

Nella Noakes

Nella Noakes, National Sales Director, added, “Our expansion into Ottawa’s Rideau Centre represents our commitment to reaching more Canadians. This new location will showcase a net new kiosk design, combining cutting-edge technology with personalized service.”

WOW! mobile boutique said it is set to broaden its service offerings throughout 2024, venturing into more non-traditional retail environments and rolling their sleeves up in community events including schools, festivals and sporting events and extending product offerings to include wearables and offering small business solutions to Canadians. This expansion aims to provide a more comprehensive suite of telecommunications services to Canadian consumers and businesses.

Michael Cioffi

“As we look to the future, we’re excited to expand our services to meet the evolving needs of cell phone customers and our carriers,” explained Michael Cioffi, Director of Marketing, Merchandising and Communications. “By offering small business solutions, we’re positioning WOW! mobile boutique as a one-stop shop for all telecommunications needs.”

WOW! mobile boutique currently operates 80 Locations across Canada

CF Rideau Centre is officially open for business the first week of September; with Grand opening event on October 10th (10th day, of the 10th month, in Wow!’s 10th year)

Cioffi said the company’s growth plans include a combination of new store openings, kiosk retrofit designs and a deployment of a new generation of kiosk designs: There are plans to open two new stores for the remainder of 2024 – CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa as well as adding a second location in a high volume flagship mall in November which will be announced in the future; By the end of 2024 it will have 10 of its existing kiosks retrofitted to its new design and a dozen more experience updated refreshes In 2025, there are expansion plans seeing several new locations open in Western Canada, Ontario and Quebec.

“Our growth potential is endless. Our expansion plans are to continue to assess communities and shopping centres we feel are a fit for our services and work with mall management to pursue leasing opportunities. With the growth, expansion and shopping traffic trends in specific malls, there is an appetite to open several boxes in the same mall to expand our footprint in the areas where we have had great success with the customer base in those communities,” added Cioffi.

“Furthermore, WOW! mobile has organized a series of community roadshows outside the traditional retail environment. Our events team is partnered with schools, associations, festivals and tradeshows in a pop-up format to offer our signature personalized, unbiased advice and wireless solutions.

“Our offering of services and community impacts have been overwhelmingly well received and we have secured partnerships with over 20 schools during back-to-school to date and sponsored/participated in festivals such as Burlington Sound of Music Festival, Vibrant South Asian Summer Fest in Brampton and had the honour of being a main sponsor for the Poutine Feast across Canada this year, just to name a few.”

Cioffi said the company looks at its current data trends from locations it currently operates to determine opportunities in the future.

“Furthermore we leverage our marketing research and resources to determine traffic trends, community needs and general gaps and opportunities our business model can not only benefit from but the communities are asking for,” he said.

The company said its success is built on providing personalized, unbiased advice for Canada’s leading wireless carriers. This growth underscores the company’s vital role in the Canadian wireless landscape and a destination of choice for retail sales associates looking to benefit from extensive onboarding and training practices.

WOW! mobile boutique has been operated by Match Transact since 2013. It offers Canada’s best wireless carriers, TELUS, Rogers, Koodo, Fido and Chatr, and it carries accessories.

Retailers intensify focus on AI, social media, and deep discounts for holidays: Fiverr report

RDNE Stock project

Fiverr International Ltd., a global freelance platform, has released research exploring retailers’ readiness for the upcoming holiday season indicating businesses are taking a more strategic approach to how businesses manage marketing efforts, freelance talent, and AI technologies as they look to level the playing field against larger e-commerce brands while also capturing Gen-Zers’ shopping habits and grappling with the economic hurdles like inflation. 

Gali Arnon

“The holidays are often make-or-break for many small businesses, so it is critical to plan ahead, know where to place your focus and ensure that your audience is getting the right message,” said Gali Arnon, Chief Business Officer at Fiverr. “This data shows that retail and e-commerce businesses are doubling down on social media campaigns to reach new markets and embracing AI to streamline their daily operations as more and more consumers are looking to buy the perfect gift as far ahead of the holiday season as possible. 

“With inflation, competition, and staffing shortages intensifying both online and in stores, the insights from our latest research underscore the type of expertise businesses need to stay ahead. Demand is up for experts with AI skills, digital marketing, and social media to maintain loyal customers and reach new audiences near and far.”

Fiverr conducted a global survey of over 2,500 consumers and over 2,500 small-to-medium business leaders (excluding sole traders) in partnership with Censuswide. 

Key findings:

  • Smaller retailers have found their place among larger companies like Amazon and Temu with 53 per cent of surveyed businesses not considering competition from larger e-commerce brands as a challenge this year;
  • Inflation becomes the predominant concern for businesses, with 48 per cent of global respondents citing it as their primary challenge;
  • A third of retailers surveyed cite staffing shortages ahead of the holiday season, simultaneously, a third of retail and ecommerce businesses are now hiring freelancers to support their operations;
  • Compared to last year (55 per cent) over 80 per cent of businesses are now offering discounts on their products to satisfy the deal-hunters;
  • Customers are continuing to prioritize good deals (42 per cent), free shipping (32 per cent), and high-quality products (30 per cent);
  • Last minute shopping remains a priority as well, with 18 per cent of global respondents focusing on fast shipping times;
  • 52 per cent of people surveyed will start buying presents in October and November while 18 per cent are hitting the summer sales to find gifts;
  • 43 per cent of Gen-Zers are planning to spend more this holiday season, compared to the 37 per cent of millennials that plan to do to same
  • 57 per cent of U.S. retailers surveyed are investing in social media ads to reach their target audiences;
  • Global surveyed retailers are investing in: 39 per cent social media ads, 35 per cent in influencer marketing campaigns, 33 per cent email marketing, 29 per cent updated product pages and improved SEO functionalities;
  • Amongst Gen-Zers: 34 per cent use TikTok shop; 25 per cent get their gift ideas through social media influencers’ recommendations; and 14 per cent use generative AI search to help with gift buying;
  • In the U.S., TikTok shop continues its dominance – nearly 54 per cent of Gen-Zers find their gifts on this platform alone;
  • Surveyed U.S. Gen-Zers also cite social media as a major influence in their holiday shopping – a third of respondents plan to find gifts via Facebook and Instagram ads, and nearly a quarter (24 per cent) through influencer recommendations;
  • With shopping increasingly moving online, nearly seven in 10 retailers (68 per cent) surveyed are now implementing AI throughout their operations this holiday season – and they want Gen Z to take noticel
  • 41 per cent of retailers surveyed plan to invest in AI tools to expedite work, and 35 per cent want to embed AI throughout the entire customer journey with chatbots, customer personalization, or customized marketing campaigns; and 
  • AI is already becoming second nature for Gen Z, over 54 per cent of Gen-Zers use AI to assist in their holiday shopping – whether it be to find the best prices (17 per cent), find new gift ideas (22 per cent), or to even create holiday presents themselves (18 per cent).

Discussing the upcoming eTail Toronto: Key Themes, Speakers, and Networking Opportunities [Video Interview]

Craig and Leucepe (Leo) Martinez, Program Director at eTail Toronto, discuss the upcoming eTail Toronto conference, set to take place on September 25-26 at the Hyatt Regency Toronto (Register here). The event, known for its practical and actionable insights, will gather over 300 attendees and 75 speakers, offering a comprehensive exploration of the latest trends and challenges in eCommerce. Martinez emphasizes that eTail Toronto is not just a conference but a community, having supported the retail industry through major changes since 1999.

The conference will cover key themes such as the connected customer journey, digital transformation, and the critical role of AI in retail. Martinez highlights the importance of real-world use cases, focusing on how retailers are leveraging human-centric AI to optimize the customer experience. Day two will explore the needs of the modern consumer, emphasizing storytelling, purpose-led brands, social commerce, and sustainability in retail.

Networking opportunities are a major focus at eTail Toronto, with over 10 hours dedicated to structured activities, including meetups, roundtable discussions, and private events. Martinez encourages attendees, especially first-timers, to make the most of these opportunities to build valuable connections. The conference promises to be a dynamic event, offering both education and networking to advance the retail industry in Canada.

Retailers & Brands – Get 20% off your tickets to eTail Toronto with code RETINSIDER – [Register Here]

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Leger Unveils 2024 Brand Momentum Study, Revealing Top Skincare Brands in Canada

The Ordinary at 1240 Bay St in Toronto (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Canadian market research firm Leger has released its highly anticipated 2024 Brand Momentum study, offering a comprehensive analysis of brand performance across various industries in Canada and the United States. This year’s edition features a special focus on the Canadian skincare market.

The study, unveiled during a recent webinar hosted by Luc Dumont and Tracey Berkenbush, employed a methodology to evaluate brand strength and vitality. Leger surveyed 2,505 Canadians about 15 different skincare brands, assessing factors such as visibility, differentiation, and perceived value for money.

One of the most striking revelations from the study is the dominance of The Ordinary in the Canadian skincare landscape. The brand secured the top position with an impressive momentum score of 29.3, significantly outpacing its competitors. Canadian consumers overwhelmingly praised The Ordinary for its quality, innovation, and uniqueness, with 72% of respondents rating its quality as superior to competitors.

The Ordinary at The Distillery District (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Following The Ordinary in the rankings were Aveeno (19.3), Youth to the People (18.9), The Inkey List (17.3), and CeraVe (17.2). These scores reflect a combination of current brand strength and future growth potential.

The study also shed light on key factors driving consumer decisions in the skincare industry. Meeting specific skincare needs emerged as the primary consideration, cited by 23.3% of respondents. Value for money and overall appeal tied for second place, each influencing 12% of consumers’ purchasing decisions.

Luc Dumont, senior vice-president at Leger, emphasized the strategic importance of the Brand Momentum Index for CPG clients. “Our robust Brand Momentum Model not only measures current brand performance on validated key drivers of purchase behaviour but also forecasts future potential,” Dumont explained in a statement. He added that these insights enable brands to make informed decisions to enhance engagement, loyalty, and long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.

The study’s findings have significant implications for both established and emerging brands in the Canadian skincare industry. With consumers placing high value on quality, innovation, and specific need fulfillment, brands may need to reassess their product development and marketing strategies to align with these preferences.

For those seeking more detailed information, the full study and a recording of the explanatory webinar are available on Leger’s website. The resource offers in-depth analysis and data visualization.

Google Unveils New Features for Retailers

Image: Google

Google is rolling out a suite of enhanced capabilities for retailers as the holiday shopping season approaches. The announcement, made during the company’s annual Think Retail virtual event, introduces several new features to its Merchant Center retail hub, aimed at empowering retailers with more robust tools and insights.

One of the key additions is the “Shopping trends” feature, set to launch globally in the coming weeks. The tool will allow Merchant Centre users to explore popular shopping queries, ranked by popularity and organized by topic and product. Retailers will gain valuable insights into the specific language consumers use in their product searches, enabling them to optimize product descriptions for improved search relevance.

In a move towards artificial intelligence integration, Google is introducing two new generative AI insights features to the Merchant Centre. Retailers will soon have access to AI-based insight summaries at the top of the analytics tab, providing quick overviews of recent product performance. This feature will allow businesses to immediately identify critical updates, such as products experiencing a substantial increase in clicks, upon logging in.

Furthermore, the new AI capabilities extend to custom reporting. Retailers will be able to generate tailored data sets by simply describing the type of analysis they need. For instance, a query like “show me the performance of my best-selling dresses” will prompt the AI to produce a custom report highlighting the retailer’s specific performance data, eliminating the need for manual report creation.

Google Ads is also receiving upgrades to enhance local inventory management. The platform will now automatically sync in-store availability from a retailer’s website and integrate it into their Merchant Centre account when setting up campaigns. This streamlined process aims to make it easier for shoppers to view in-store product availability directly from shopping ads.

Additional improvements to Google Ads include the ability to set new customer acquisition goals in Performance Max and Search campaigns. Retailers can also optimize these campaigns with profit-focused objectives, such as cart-level conversions and cost of goods sold. Moreover, the platform now offers the option to customize exclusions at the format level for Search and Shopping ads, allowing retailers to have more control over when their ads appear on branded queries.

Jeff Harrell, senior director of merchant shopping at Google, emphasized the importance of these updates in a corporate blog post. “This holiday, brands that can stay agile and turn data into decisions will make the most of the shorter holiday shopping season,” he stated, underscoring the potential impact of these new tools on retailers’ success during the crucial holiday period.

Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards Unveils 2024 Nominees

Photo: CAFA Awards

The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA), often hailed as “Canada’s most fashionable night,” has announced its official nominees for 2024. The prestigious event, launched in 2013, celebrates outstanding achievement and emerging talent in the Canadian fashion industry.

CAFA brings together top artists, influencers, and business leaders from across Canada and around the world. The awards have previously honoured notable figures such as Imran Amed, Aurora James, Kim Cattrall, and Iris Apfel, among others.

Toronto native Brooke Lynn Hytes, a renowned drag artist and television personality, will return as host for this year’s gala. CAFA says that Hytes’ captivating performance at last year’s event left a lasting impression, prompting CAFA to invite her back for another evening of celebration.

The red-carpet gala is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto. Those interested can now purchase tickets to the gala and after-party through the CAFAwards.ca website.

CAFA’s nomination process is largely self-nominating, with a distinguished committee of industry experts reviewing and voting on final nominees based on specific criteria. Special honourees are bestowed separately from the main categories.

Vicky Milner, CAFA Co-Founder and President, said, “We continue to be amazed by the caliber of talent we have here in Canada. We are grateful for the opportunity to spotlight these noteworthy people and brands and bring Canadian arts and fashion to the global stage.”

Grace Mahary at CAFA 2022

The event is made possible through generous sponsorships, with NARS Cosmetics returning as the presenting sponsor. Other returning sponsors include Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Disruptive Edge, Fairmont Royal York, Palettera, The Kit, and Toronto Star. New sponsors for 2024 include Amazon, Dyson, Harry Rosen, Optimum Retailing, and LaSalle College Montréal.

This year’s nominees span various categories, showcasing the diversity and talent within Canadian fashion. The Womenswear Designer of the Year Award nominees include A Bronze Age, Beaufille, Frascara, RVNG Couture, and SHAN. For the Menswear Designer of the Year Award, nominees are By David Kollar, Raised by Wolves, Section 35, and Spencer Badu.

Emerging talents are also recognized, with categories for both fashion and accessories design. The Fashion Design Student Award highlights promising graduates from Canadian fashion programs, ensuring a spotlight on the next generation of designers.

The CAFA 2024 also emphasizes the importance of sustainability and social impact in fashion. The Sustainability Award will honour a Canadian designer, brand, or individual taking action to inspire change towards a more sustainable future in the fashion industry.

Tokyo Smoke Closing 29 Stores Amid Creditor Protection Restructuring

Tokyo Smoke Yonge Street PHOTO: RETAIL INSIDER

Canadian cannabis retailer Tokyo Smoke has announced a restructuring plan that includes the closure of 29 stores across the country. The move comes as the company seeks creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), signalling a strategic shift in response to evolving market conditions.

The decision to shutter nearly three dozen locations is part of a broader effort by Tokyo Smoke to align its operations with the current state of the Canadian cannabis market. Industry insiders have long noted the challenges facing retailers in this sector, including market saturation and declining product prices. Tokyo Smoke’s restructuring appears to be a direct response to these pressures, with the company citing “significant” changes in both market dynamics and regulatory conditions as primary factors driving the decision.

INTERIOR OF TOKYO SMOKE STORE. PHOTO: TOKYO SMOKE
INTERIOR OF TOKYO SMOKE STORE. PHOTO: TOKYO SMOKE

Despite the closures, Tokyo Smoke will maintain a substantial presence in the Canadian market. The company plans to keep 167 locations operational across four provinces: Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The retention of stores suggests a targeted approach to streamlining operations while preserving the brand’s core market presence.

The restructuring comes less than two years after a significant change in Tokyo Smoke’s ownership. In September 2022, OEG Retail Cannabis, a company affiliated with the owner of the Edmonton Oilers hockey team, acquired the Tokyo Smoke brand from cannabis industry giant Canopy Growth Corp. The transition in ownership coincided with a period of intensifying competition and market challenges within the Canadian cannabis retail sector.

Lorne and Alan Gertner

Tokyo Smoke’s journey in the Canadian cannabis landscape has been marked by several notable milestones since its founding in 2015 by father-son duo Lorne and Alan Gertner. The brand quickly gained recognition, earning the “Brand of the Year” award at the 2017 Canadian Cannabis Awards. Its growth trajectory included strategic acquisitions and partnerships, such as the merger with DOJA Cannabis in 2017 to form Hiku Brands Company Ltd., which was subsequently acquired by Canopy Growth in 2018.

The company’s innovative approach to cannabis retail was further demonstrated in November 2021 when Tokyo Smoke partnered with UberEats to offer cannabis order pick-up services through the popular food delivery app. The move showcased the brand’s commitment to leveraging technology and convenience to enhance the customer experience.