Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Stefanie Hill Discusses Former ‘Chez Catherine’ Luxury Retail Stores in Toronto and Montreal
Craig and Stefanie discuss some of the history of luxury retail in Toronto and Montreal in the 1970s-1990s. Stefanie and her mother Catherine Hill ran the Chez Catherine luxury retail group in decades past with big names including Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Claude Montana, Ungaro and others.
The Interview Series podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Also check out our The Weekly podcast where Craig and Lee discuss popular content published on Retail Insider which is part of the The Retail Insider Podcast Network.
Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!
Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Henry's Flagship at 185 Church Street (Proposed artist rendering)
Henry’s, a leading specialty digital imaging and camera retailer in Canada, continues to expand its physical store network even during the pandemic with plans to relocate its Toronto flagship store by this summer.
The retailer has 22 stores across the country which will grow in the near future with the addition of another store in Hamilton at the CF Lime Ridge Mall. The majority of the company’s stores are in Ontario.
It also has an e-commerce and a commercial business.
New Henry’s Concept in Oakville (Image: Henry’s)New Henry’s Concept in Oakville (Image: Henry’s)
Gillian Stein
“The store network is important. For us, the physical location still has a lot of value. The service we provide is very experiential,” said Gillian Stein, the company’s CEO. “It’s hands on. You want to talk to somebody. You want to touch and feel the product and there’s a lot of value in that in what we see . . . People want to have that interaction.”
“So we’re firm believers in the store but I think the purpose that it serves now is very different than what it used to be. It’s not just about obviously stacking your shelves with inventory and watching it go off the shelf. It’s about having a space for interaction. It’s very important that the store is there to support the ecomm experience.”
Henry’s was an early adopter of ecommerce with a platform in place in 1997.
As for future new store openings, Stein said she wasn’t sure right now about that as the company always looks at the store network and what makes sense at the time – always evaluating leases in terms of what makes sense as the market shifts and changes.
Image: Henry’s at 135 Church Street (1965)
Henry’s has been at the corner of Church Street and Queen Street E in Toronto for 57 years. It has been in its current building at 119 Church Street for 47 years. Originally, before that, Henry’s was at 135 Church Street for 10 years. It will be moving to 185 Church Street – one block north of its current location.
At the current location, the real estate footprint is about 10,000 square feet with corporate offices in three floors above the store. The new location will be about 5,200 square feet but only retail space.
“In this new store, we’re going to have a dedicated unique space for content creators. So people who use YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch and creating a space for them to be able to come and have more community involvement,” said Stein.
“The space itself is going to be our new format with a much more modern, much more inviting and welcoming feel and really celebrate the passion of photography and content as opposed to sort of a more traditional photography store that’s really about the gear.”
Henry’s (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)
When Stein looks at the past two years as a retailer experiencing the challenges of the pandemic, what is the biggest lesson she’s learned?
“You always have to be able to be agile. We want to be agile but you actually have to make sure that you have a business that can support that,” explained Stein. “It’s about the way your team thinks. Do you have the capital for that? Do you have the infrastructure for that?
“I’ve been really impressed with our team’s ability to be adaptable and resilient and as agile as possible. For sure, there’s been elements of our infrastructure that we knew had to change to support us to be more agile and nimble in the future. So we’re making investments in technology to support that.”
“I really wanted to encourage others to share their stories about mental health and to be able to seek the help that they need to lead a normal and fulfilling wonderful life because I think that’s something that everybody deserves,” said Stein, who is part of the fourth generation leading Henry’s.
“I think it’s amazing that we see depression and anxiety have become more normalized. But I would say that in the business community it’s not the same and we’re really quite behind and as business leaders I find we don’t really talk about our personal struggles. There’s still a lot of stigma and shame around a much broader spectrum of mental health issues. If we don’t talk about it, I think we’re perpetuating the stigma. And so for me I felt that every time I don’t tell someone about my mental health situation, it’s an opportunity that’s dropped.”
Original Henry’s Cash Register, in use until 1964 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Henry’s Foundation (Photo: Dustin Fuhs)
The Stein family founded Henry’s Foundation in March 2020, which is committed to fighting against the mental health stigma and to helping Canadians get the mental health support they need. Gillian’s sister Amy Stein is the Executive Director.
“Our family has always been very deeply rooted in our community and have always really believed in giving back. But we felt it was really important for us to really focus our efforts on a single cause and felt mental health was really the key for us,” said Stein.
“Our family personally struggles with it. We know that it is something that impacts our employees and it’s something that impacts our community as well.”
The Winnipeg-based Carbone Restaurant Group aims to be a pioneer in the ghost kitchen space as well as robotic kitchens, conveyors and be one of the leading restaurant technology companies while also embarking on massive expansion plans for its FAST FIRED by Carbone pizza brand.
Benjamin Nasberg
The quick service restaurant began with its first location in Winnipeg in 2015. Today it is operating four locations – two in Winnipeg, one in Brandon and one in Regina – with two more expected to open soon in Regina and Moose Jaw. The company was founded by CEO Benjamin Nasberg.
‘Ghost Kitchens are on the rise globally,’ Nasberg says. ‘‘Operating as 100% virtual brands that are strictly take-out and delivery offer a variety of products and cuisine from a single location. The ghost kitchen model offers restaurant and business owners the opportunity to utilize existing kitchen space and staff, capitalize on delivery demand, have less food waste, and increase revenues.”
Fast Fired (Image: Carbone Restaurant Group)
Doug Warren, Vice President of Franchise Sales for FAST FIRED/Carbone Restaurant Group, said the brand offers a completely different experience than other regular pizza establishments.
Doug Warren
“Custom made pizza, which is on the healthy variety and kind of more plant-based is our angle you can say. The fact that it’s cooked so quickly allows us to have a heavy lunch crowd. Some pizza places are not even set up to open up until 4 p.m.,” said Warren.
“There’s a whole system of different markets we can hit (dine in, delivery, pickup) because the pizza is cooked very quickly, you don’t have to wait 45 minutes for it.”
The FAST FIRED name comes from Fresh, Authentic, Sustainable, Tailor-made.
Fast Fired (Image: Carbone Restaurant Group)
Warren said the pandemic held back expansion plans for the past year or so.
“We’ve got 25 people lined up, signed franchise agreements coast to coast. Half of them were delayed a year because of the pandemic unfortunately. Locations, leases, landlords weren’t even working for awhile. So it was a real challenge,” he said.
“We’ve got six locations, but we’re expanding rapidly. In total, our goal is about 200 stores and that includes some non-traditional type sites, maybe universities and those kind of industrial settings. Two hundred coast to coast in Canada.
“And then from there, international. We’re likely to look at Australia, U.S., possibly Middle East. In fact, I have investors that are waiting to look at this in places like Dubai and Europe. We’re just kind of holding back until we really get it developed in Canada. Now how long will that take? I signed over 20 deals since May. If I was to look at 2022 I think 50 signed deals, 25 stores will open and that’s really when it will take off. It has to do with executing on operations and being successful.”
Fast Fired (Image: Carbone Restaurant Group)
Warren said the Carbone Restaurant Group is also pioneering in the ghost kitchen space.
“Ghost kitchens are developing a robotic kitchen concept like a technology. Pizza vending machines for certain types of locations that FAST FIRED could not go into. At the same time we have folks buying QSR concepts because you’ve got be in there to deal with the customer and make the pizza, we’re developing automated systems to not only sell to the restaurant industry but also some of those innovations will go into FAST FIRED,” said Warren.
“For instance, right now a guy has to stand at the oven for three minutes to make sure the pizza doesn’t burn. It’s so hot. But with a conveyor which we’re developing, it will actually move the pizza through it in three minutes and we could do 20 at a time if we wanted to without burning any of them. That’s the thing we’re working on.”
Fast Fired (Image: Carbone Restaurant Group)
“There’s a lot of AI (Artificial Intelligence) these guys are involved with for the restaurant industry. It’s a separate division. Some of it could really revolutionize the restaurant industry. The CRG believes that automated restaurants are coming.”
Warren said the company is helping struggling restaurants create a ghost kitchen in their restaurants with the idea to generate revenue.
“They seem to be hitting a chord, there’s no doubt about it. The other thing too is actually open up our own ghost kitchens with these brands including FAST FIRED, but right now FAST FIRED is in the QSR space,” he said. “The ghost kitchens right now are burgers, tacos, all different products than pizza.”
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Retail Insider Media Ltd. Announces Spring 2022 Launch of Canada’s Premier Retail Industry Digital Publication
Retail Insider Media Ltd. is proud to announce the introduction of its ground-breaking digital publication Retail Insider the magazine. Set for quarterly distribution, the magazine will launch its first issue in Spring 2022, further expanding the company’s already impressive media offering. It’s a product that’s been hotly anticipated by industry players across the country and will fill a void to become Canada’s only national retail magazine publication. And, according to Craig Patterson, Founder and President/CEO of Retail Insider Media Ltd., it’s doing so with the purpose of creating and providing the most engaging, thought-provoking and useful content for the industry’s decision-makers and their teams.
“The magazine is a really unique proposition in that it’s the only of its kind covering the trends and happenings shaping the current and future state of the retail industry in Canada,” he asserts. “It’s being developed mindfully by a team that understands both the publishing and retail industries and will quickly become recognized as a premier source for executives and their teams to gain critical information and insights related to their operations. And, we’re not only dedicated to identifying the trends. One of the mandates of the magazine is to dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing retailers and brands through the development of research and expert analysis in order to provide a clear, holistic view of the changing landscape. In addition, content is being crafted and presented in a way, with creative storytelling, compelling stats and striking design, that will reflect the excitement and verve of retail.”
Tackling retail’s biggest challenges
The innovative publication is led by its Editor-in-Chief and long-time retail industry reporter and analyst, Sean Tarry. With a breadth of experience working within the publishing industry, which includes 11 years serving as Editor of Publications at Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and Editor-in-Chief of its award-winning but now defunct publication, Canadian Retailer magazine, Tarry brings with him unrivalled ability concerning magazine development and an acute awareness and understanding of the forcing functions regularly impacting businesses. This rare combination of editorial acumen, creativity and industry knowledge, says Patterson, sets him apart from most content creators, and made him the obvious choice to take charge of the magazine.
“I’ve known and have worked with Sean for a long time now,” he says. “Our paths crossed years ago at one of the many industry functions, and we quickly got to know each other through our common interests and dedication to covering the exciting world of retail. He’s a very thoughtful and intuitive journalist and editor who has an ear for a story and a real knack for speaking with industry professionals and observers to uncover the truths and insights most relevant to the continued growth and progress of the industry. Because he’s been covering the Canadian retail beat for so many years now, he’s amassed an incredible sense for the industry and developed a scope of expertise that is going to serve the magazine extremely well, allowing us to tackle issues from all angles.”
Research-driven reports
Patterson goes on to explain that the breadth of the issues featured will also be impressive, including everything from supply chain and logistics and human resources to the latest in enterprise technology and store design and operations. He says that the content will be meticulously developed with the intention of aiding the efforts of Canadian businesses of all sizes, operating in a multitude of categories and verticals. Each issue’s stellar schedule of content will also be complemented by a special piece of proprietary research conceived and produced in partnership with some of the country’s leading agencies and firms. And, explains Patterson, it will all be presented as a reflection of the industry, capturing the essence of everything that makes it so unique.
“We’re working on a lot of really interesting research projects that will be included within each issue as a special report featuring exclusive industry information and analysis,” he says. “For instance, within the first issue of the magazine, we’ll be providing some insights on plans around international brands entering the Canadian market and homegrown brands that are expanding their operations. Later in the year we’ll be releasing our Canadian Shopping Centre study as part of another issue as well as taking a look at the future of retail in Canada. It’s all very exciting and will serve as a platform to not only explore and dissect the retail ecosystem, but to highlight the innovation and creativity inherent within the Canadian retail industry, too, celebrating the incredible leaders and their teams who make it all happen.”
Highlighting innovation and creativity
In addition to the four digital issues of the publication, a special print edition of Retail Insider the magazine will be distributed, focussing on the latest advancements in store design, the evolution of the integrated retail experience and a recognition of the best of Canadian retail innovators. Offering such comprehensive and cutting-edge coverage of the Canadian retail scene, in combination with its position as the sole authority on the shifts and trends impacting the industry, the magazine seems to present the perfect platform for advertising and sponsorship. However, although Patterson recognizes the clear opportunities, he emphasizes his team’s commitment to creating and delivering a meaningful, inspirational and indispensable issue of content every quarter for their readers, growing the publication from its first release.
“The retail industry in Canada is so innovative, driven and diverse. We want to make sure that our coverage of the industry, and the way we present it to our readers, is representative of those characteristics, doing them justice. We want to become the go-to source for the most insightful, captivating and relevant research and narrative around the issues impacting retailers and their partners most. We’re looking forward to providing this for our readers. And, because the retail industry moves at such an incredibly fast pace, serving a consumer whose behaviours and attitudes are ever-changing, the potential for Retail Insider the magazine to establish a practical and essential purpose within the industry is immense.”
For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, to download a copy of Retail Insider the magazine’s 2022 media kit, or for more information about this unique and exciting publication, visit therimagazine.com
Retail Insider Media Ltd. Announces Spring 2022 Launch of Canada’s Premier Retail Industry Digital Publication
The retail industry is not really like any other. The speed at which it travels, soaring on equal parts innovation, intuition and inspiration, is breakneck. And those who ply the trade are often the first to attest to the fact. Retailers understand better than most the need to perform at consistently high levels while constantly shifting and adapting to changing market conditions, macroeconomic factors and evolving consumer behaviour. And they’re acutely aware of the pressures that result from their need to also accurately discern the current landscape while identifying trends before they impact their businesses. It’s a daunting task, to say the least, and one that seems to become increasingly more challenging and complex as we move forward. They are challenges and complexities that Sean Tarry, Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider the magazine, says are resulting in a range of results for businesses across the country. And, he adds, they represent the catalyst for the creation of the forthcoming digital publication.
“Canadian retailers are incredibly resilient,” he says. “They’re also representative of some of the savviest, most innovative and hardworking people that you’re going to come across in any industry or walk of life. With the launch of Retail Insider the magazine, we want to highlight everything that’s great about Canadian retail. However, we approach this publication with a strong commitment to helping retailers navigate a landscape that’s changing faster than ever before amid an accelerated digitization of the world around us and an ever-evolving consumer. In order to do this properly, we assume it as our obligation to dig deep into both the issues impacting the industry today, as well as those that loom on the horizon, accurately identifying the challenges and opportunities that might arise as a result or consequence, and mapping out the actions that can be taken to address them. It’s a really exciting venture for us, and one that we’re approaching with focus and an accountability to serve the industry with the most reliable, trustworthy and relevant content possible.”
Analysis of trends
Retail Insider the magazine joins a growing list of offering that’s provided by Retail Insider Media Ltd., which includes its renowned website that features daily retail news from across the country and its podcasts that regularly present conversations between Retail Insider Media Ltd.’s Founder and President/CEO, Craig Patterson, and some of the Canadian industry’s most prominent retail leaders. It’s a product that helps to broaden the range of coverage that the fast-growing media purveyor is responsible for. And, according to Tarry, in doing so, the magazine also provides the perfect complement to the content that has established Retail Insider Media Ltd. as a brand and the elements of production that have laid the foundation of its growth.
“Retail-Insider.com has, for quite some time now, been known throughout the industry as the de facto source for current and breaking retail news and information,” he asserts. “There’s no other source like it when it comes to getting ahead of retail news before it happens. With the magazine, I want to complement the website offering with the same strategy and execution, but with a longer view that focuses on the trends and forcing functions impacting the industry today and into the future. The content is going to be extremely research-driven, featuring analysis and prognostication from the industry’s leading thinkers and top innovators in order to identify the path forward for the industry. The magazine’s going to provide the Retail Insider community with another lens through which to view the industry, rounding out the brand’s already excellent content.”
Breadth of content
Retail Insider the magazine Editor-in-Chief, Sean Tarry, Retail Insider Media Ltd. CEO and Publisher, Craig Patterson and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Retail-Insider.com, Dustin Fuhs
Tarry enthusiastically goes on to explain that he and the Retail Insider team will not be shying away from any topic or area of interest as long as there is a potential impact on retailers, their consumers and the markets they operate in. He cites the continued digitization of the industry and the development of supporting technologies, evolving consumer behaviour and preferences, the continued rise of ecommerce, the shop local movement amid enhanced globalization, and the increasing importance of environmental, social and governance issues as just a few of those that will be intensely explored and written about within the first few editions of the magazine. It’s a promised breadth of coverage that Dustin Fuhs, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Retail-Insider.com and Associate Publisher of Retail Insider the magazine, says is impressive and instantly sets the publication apart from anything else in the market.
“There’s literally nothing else like the magazine anywhere,” he says. “The way Sean has developed this product, based on his years of experience and expertise, is going to translate into a comprehensive and holistic view of the industry for our readers. Every type and format of retailer, operating in just about every category, will be engaged by content related to every aspect of the retail business, including supply chain, information technology, human resources, loss prevention, customer service and in-store operations, merchandising, ecommerce, and on and on. Essentially, if you’re operating within retail, you’re going to need every edition of this magazine as a resource and reference for your entire team. It’s going to serve as a pulse for the industry concerning the current state of affairs while also providing a view into shifts and trends that will pose impact down the line.”
Experience and expertise
As Fuhs points out, Tarry possesses a wealth of experience within both the publishing and retail industries, having served for 11 years as Editor of Publications at Retail Council of Canada and Editor-in-Chief of its now defunct Canadian Retailer magazine. His tenure at Canada’s national retail trade organization provided him with invaluable exposure to the industry, equipping him with an intimate understanding and appreciation for the complexities of the retail business. Beyond the acumen he’s cultivated, however, Fuhs suggests that it’s Tarry’s nose for the story and participation in its development from a journalistic perspective that sets him apart from most other editors.
“Throughout his career reporting on and writing about Canadian retail, Sean’s developed a real sense for the information that matters most to those within the industry,” he says. “He’s managed to cultivate relationships with some of retail’s top leaders and innovators, allowing him to engage in significant conversations and remain in the know with respect to all of the latest shifts and trends that are happening. And, he’s also incredibly involved in every aspect of the publication, from managing advertising leads and developing marketing materials to providing art direction and overseeing production. What’s most impressive, however, is the way he works with all stakeholders involved to develop deep, meaningful content that uncovers valuable insights and starts conversations. We’re looking forward to launching our first issue and working to grow the publication every step of the way.”
The advancement of retail in Canada
The excitement surrounding the launch of the first issue of Retail Insider the magazine is palpable when speaking with the team. It’s excitement that Tarry says is borne out of Retail Insider Media Ltd.’s inherent desire and commitment to providing the information, data and tools that retailers within the industry crave in order to benchmark against competitors, assess and explore best practices being deployed throughout the industry and improve efficiencies across the entire organization. He’s eager to continue following, documenting and contributing toward the advancement of retail in Canada, describing the magazine as a cog in the giant wheel that keeps the industry turning, forever moving forward. And, in his estimation, this may just be the perfect time to introduce this product to the Retail Insider Media Ltd. community.
“Retail is such an incredible industry to be a part of. Anyone who’s ever experienced it is aware of the pace at which it moves, the innovation that’s required to keep up and the intelligence and savvy that entrepreneurs and business leaders need to demonstrate on a daily basis in order to consistently enjoy positive outcomes. It’s an environment that’s challenging at the best of times. And, given the circumstances that have impacted operations over the course of the past couple years, merchants and their teams across the country, from small business owners and operators to national brands, need all of the support that they can get. The Canadian retail community is a unique one, known for its strength and creativity in the face of adversity. Retail Insider the magazine is going to provide a tremendous platform to reflect and celebrate everything that makes the industry in Canada so special, while also providing meaningful content that will help them drive continued growth and success.”
The ultrafast delivery startup Tiggy was an idea that came to Eugene Bisovka while he was living in Russia.
Eugene Bisovka
With four dark stores in Vancouver with a mission to deliver grocery orders within 15 minutes, the brand has a vision to expand into other major Canadian markets with Toronto a key target.
The first store was launched in September.
Bisovka, who is CEO, said the company has raised $6.35 million in seed funding to grow the brand.
“We have our own stores, our own delivery team, picker team, store managers, own inventory. We deliver groceries within a 1.5 mile radius within one store and all orders are placed through an easy-to-use mobile app both for iOS and Android,” he said.
Image: Tiggy App
“It’s a new way of shopping for groceries online. So instead of going to a store you just open the app, place an order and it gets delivered in 15 minutes and it’s super easy to use compared to most of the experience customers get with other services.”
The company, in a news release, said global consumer trends are shifting towards quicker shipments, no delivery fees, and the possibility of ordering as little as a couple of bagels without an obligatory minimum purchase.
“Customers in many markets, from the UK to Japan, buy food using rapid grocery delivery apps. The request for on-demand product delivery is increasing in Canada, too. Since the pandemic broke out, 66 per cent of Canadians cook at home more often, while 75 per cent are already engaged in online grocery shopping,” said Tiggy.
“Previously I lived in Russia and Russia has I guess one of the most developed markets in terms of this business model,” said Bisovka. “Everyone is now ordering in this way because it’s so easy, it’s so convenient, especially for the younger generation that gets used to companies like Uber. When you have instant taxi, you want to have instant groceries as well.
“I had two different ventures in Russia. One of them was also like delivering meals and it was growing really fast. I was a customer myself (for delivery services of groceries). I probably placed like 1,500 orders previously. I simply stopped going to grocery stores.
“I was really wondering if there were some places in the world that this model didn’t happen to launch for any reason. Canada looked really interesting in terms of this. I thought what if we brought the expertise of this business model, knowing exactly how one should do it in terms of operations, how to build stores and the customer experience, and bring it to Canada. As soon as we launched we got so much positive feedback, traction and eventually it worked out. People really love it and we’re growing a lot.”
Image: Tiggy App
Bisovka said the company wants to be available in most major cities within two to three years.
“We are expanding into Toronto. We want to cover Vancouver really fast. Within a couple of months we’ll cover 80 per cent plus in Vancouver. In Vancouver, at least eight (stores). In Toronto, at least 50 locations,” he said.
Bisovka said a typical store has 1,500 SKUs which will be increased to 2,000 SKUs. It’s designed this way so orders can be picked up quickly to deliver in 15 minutes.
“Quick-commerce will take 20 per cent of all grocery retail in around 10 years,” said Oskar Hartmann, a co-founder and an investor. “It’s not a game where one corporation can easily monopolize the market. I invest in local teams with big potential that are set on turning into leading players in the confines of one country.”
Did you receive them? Found in many mailboxes in this second pandemic holiday season were paper catalogues from Toys “R” Us, Mastermind Toys and perhaps most surprisingly, the highly profitable digital retailer Amazon. Amazon first launched a toy catalogue in 2018 and mailed it to millions of customers.
While it might seem that paper catalogues would be relegated to history with the advent of e-commerce, it seems as if, at least for these retailers, they are still part of doing business.
To understand why catalogues formed part of these retailers’ promotional strategy, let’s explore some retail history.
Catalogue mailing room in Toronto, 1953. (Sears Canada. Panda Photography. Library and Archives Canada, e011172127/Flickr), CC BY
Nostalgia and childhood
The way we celebrate holidays is based in part on what we learned from our families as children. Consumer studies researchers have examined how holidays ideally involve the creation of special foods that take time and effort, the coming together of special people in our lives and making memories that we recall with pleasure long afterwards.
Thinking positively about people, events or places that happened in the past is called nostalgia. We can even feel nostalgia for something that occurred before we were born through seeing objects from the past, or hearing the memories of others.
Some contemporary consumers or their grandparents in Canada today had the experience of receiving or reading the Eaton’s and Sears Christmas catalogues as children. Sears even called their Christmas catalogue the “wish book.”
While it is possible to remember without physical artifacts, the three dimensional and tactile information received from interacting with paper documents help to reinforce people’s memories and knowledge retrieval. People may have had the experience of going carefully through each catalogue page, marking it up and folding down the pages — whether or not they received what they wanted.
Simpson’s mail order office, Sarnia, Ont., 1952. (Sears Canada. Photo Engravers and Electrotypers Ltd. Library and Archives Canada, e011172139 / Flickr), CC BY
As Archives Ontario notes, not only did the Eaton’s catalogue make an emotional impression, it even made its way into some Canadian literature. For example, in The Hockey Sweater, by Québec writer Roch Carrier, a devastating mail-order mixup means a most unwanted Toronto Maple Leafs sweater from Eaton’s arrives at his childhood home.
Emotion aside, how do catalogues influence sales?
While nostalgia can be a powerful motivator for consumers who consider shopping today at physical toy stores or online retailers, companies must consider catalogues’ effects on sales and return on the investment.
Toys “R” Us and Mastermind Toys (both physical stores) and Amazon have a short corporate histories compared to Eaton’s and Simpson’s (later Simpsons-Sears), and none had mail-order businesses. Mastermind Toys and Amazon grew up during the advent of e-commerce, so using this seemingly old-fashioned technology seems curious.
Home-delivered paper catalogues can be part of leisure reading and are artifacts with esthetic, symbolic and instrumental value. Catalogues present images and text that are viewed as the retailer intended, without the mediation imposed by the consumer’s screen size and device capabilities.
In the face of criticism of its impact on small and medium retailers, Amazon set up its Shop Local Campaign to promote products from small and medium Canadian companies. I believe sending paper catalogues helps them tap into the long tradition of Christmas catalogues and connect in an emotional and surprising way with their customers.
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
