Canadian Retailer - Summer 2013 - 6

RETAIL CURRENTS

NEwS
ThE STRENGTh OF MANY

2013 marks the 50th anniversary of Retail Council of
Canada. It also marks the 50th year of operation of another Canadian retail stalwart—Castle Building Centres.
Castle was founded in the spring of 1963 by the company’s first president, Larry Marshall, to consolidate
purchasing, improving costs of likeminded building
material entrepreneurs. A mandate was set at the time
of incorporation which the company continues to live
by to this day: to be the best run buying group in the
country at the lowest possible operating cost.
The company represents independent store owners
in every province and territory across Canada and
has built immense loyalty among members and a
reputation among customers that’s unparalleled in
the industry.
The success of the organization and its members,
of course, was not cultivated without a lot of hard
work and an unwavering commitment to its vision.
Castle’s current president, Ken Jenkins, believes
that the success of the organization is also the result
of a collaborative effort that has allowed the buying

group to achieve success over the last half-century—
an effort that involves multiple players, driving
Castle on to continued strength and health.
“By focusing on core principals, the Castle model
has withstood the test of time. As we conclude our
first five decades, Castle is performing better today
than at any point in the history of the group. The
members of Castle past and present should take
great pride in our collective accomplishments. The
strength of Castle is fueled by the entrepreneurial
spirit of our members. With the support of our valued
supplier network and the dedication of an energetic
and professional head office team, Castle is well positioned for many more years of success.”
As part of Castle’s anniversary celebrations, the
organization’s commemorating the milestone event by
offering Castle customers the chance to win $50,000 by
filling in a ballot to win at participating Castle Building
Centres locations from May 1 to September 2, 2013.
For more information about Castle Building Centres and its 50th anniversary, visit www.castle.ca.

REpORT
RETAIL CONDITIONS REpORT: COLD SpRING, wARMER CUSTOMERS

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) recently released
its quarterly Retail Conditions Report which indicates that continued caution is being exercised by
the Canadian consumer, yet signs of resilience are
reflected in gains being posted by many retailers.
The findings of this report is based on an RCC
survey of 56 large and mid-size members, who operate more than 8,200 stores, concerning their experiences in May, 2013. The report provides information
on developments in the online channel, with a focus
on current operating practices.
Outlook at a glance

Respondents simply will not say the words “confidence” or “momentum”. And yet there is a consensus that the future looks slightly less perilous and
less uncertain. The portion of respondents saying
they will stick with their plan (83 per cent) is high.
However, at 11 per cent the number saying they
may increase their buy is larger than it has been
since spring 2012. These merchants stress they
have not made the decision, and any increases will
be small and surgical.
To download the full Retail Conditions report,
visit www.retailcouncil.org.

canadian retailer | summer 2013 | www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

Report: Online Channel, May 2013
an Increase in Sales

76%

an Increase in Margin Rates

Average
Sales
Increase

+4.5

respondents

50%
Report
Faster
Turns

respondents

an Increase in Transactions

60%
respondents

66%

Report
Increase in
Margin
Dollars

respondents

a Decrease in Inventory Levels

40%

an Increase in Traffic Counts

%
50% 72

Report
Conversation
is Higher

respondents

More Positive Signs

• Average ticket, basket, and
unit retail are generally
positive; all show small
changes in May.

http://www.castle.ca http://www.retailcouncil.org http://www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

Canadian Retailer - Summer 2013

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