CANADIAN RETAILER Summer 2013 Where, when and how they want it Today's consumer is mobile, moving seamlessly between channels to research and buy product and share their experiences with friends and peers. Engaging them in today’s retail environment means leveraging the latest technology and optimizing operations to ensure an omnichannel experience that will meet their mobile needs. Page 16 FEATURES 16 CONSUMER TRENDS UNDERSTANDING ThE ExpECTATIONS OF TODAY’S CONSUMER Beyond the trends that often paint a skewed picture of the consumer, an expectation for a seamless and enriched omnichannel experience is what they’re looking for…as well as convenience, personalization, flexibility and control over their purchasing decisions. MySTORE: RESEARCH 30 A BETTER MICROSCOpE insight into customer Booksellers have greater buying patterns thanks to first-in-Canada, customer-based, niche-specific data mining. ONLINE RETAIL 32 ThE STATE OF CANADIAN E-COMMERCE Retailers are increasingly putting their offerings online to create a seamless shopping experience across all channels. Canadian Retailer takes a look at e-commerce in Canada and how the country's retailers are doing in a bid to catch up to competitors. 2013 MARKETING ROUNDTABLE ThE RETAIL 20 TOOLS MARKETER’S MOST pOwERFUL A return to the conversation is providing retail marketers with opportunities to engage the customer in more meaningful and personalized ways than ever before. 36 OwNING ThE BRAND Every business requires a strategy to reach its goals. The same applies to the proper management of an e-commerce website. Find out how you can increase conversion rates and communicate more effectively with your customers. DEpARTMENTS 23 MySTORE: RETAILER'S GUIDE wEB TRAFFIC DRIvING AND CONvERTING 27 E-COMMERCE: hOw INDEpENDENT RETAILERS MySTORE: TECHNOLOGy ARE LEvELING ThE pLAYING FIELD Canadian media has focused a lot of attention on the entry of international retailers into the Canadian market. However, it may be the independent retailer with a strong e-commerce platform that presents the greatest competition for the consumer’s spend. RETAIL pROfILE Cultivating strong partnerships with its suppliers has allowed Dollarama to develop an impressive line of private label offerings, engendering trust and loyalty in its customers and allowing the company to break a sacred threshold in the dollar store category. 4 6 12 41 42 publisher’s desk retail currents retail: at issue advertiser's index retail quick tips ON ThE COvER Artwork by Scope Media with Illustrations by DrAfter123 & PixelEmbargo www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer | summer 2013 | canadian retailer | 3http://www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer