Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 32
MYSTORE INDIE RETAILING 2014
Boys Company is making the shopping experience for its customers consistent across all channels.
Made at home
In the 33 years he's been in business Ed DesRoches, president of Plum, a Vancouver-based
apparel provider, has seen a lot of changes in
retail. While most retailers today are fixated on
the impact of technology, the biggest change for
him has come from offshore manufacturing.
"It really has changed the game," he says.
"While it has lowered the prices of many products, that doesn't necessarily mean more sales
for independents because they don't have the
volume that allows them to sell at the same
prices as the large chains. Independents don't
reap the benefits of cheaper manufacturing so
they have to go in a different direction."
Plum, therefore, designs its own clothes and
uses only local manufacturers. The result is a
high-quality, higher-priced and longer-lasting
product that Plum uses to build equity in its
stores and the brand and complements this
with expert service. DesRoches recently hired
an image consultant and has developed a program which trains his staff to analyze a customer's hair and skin colour, body type and
lifestyle and then match products to them.
"You can go into a lot of low-priced stores
but you get no service," DesRoches says. "We
32 |
canadian retailer | holiday 2013 | www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer
avoid low price. Our objective is not to sell as
much as possible but to offer clothes that are
better made, look better and last longer, so in
the end the customer is better off."
Getting online
E-commerce, of course, can't be neglected as
a huge opportunity for independents. It gives
independents a global reach while still maintaining their local base. "There are a number
of turnkey solution providers (such as Shopify
and Fortune 3) that have packages that can simplify the whole process and get you up and running on the Internet very quickly," says Wendy
Evans, president of Evans and Company. "It offers a huge opportunity for sales and is a great
way to expand. You can easily see an uptick of
30 to 40 per cent."
Since he set up a website and began selling
Scottish tartans, kilts, books, DVDs, candy, food,
jewelry and Cymru Am Byth (Wales For Ever)
gifts ten years ago, John Law's business has increased by about 20 per cent.
The owner of the Wee Scottish Loft in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON spent about $300 with an
area website developer to create the site and
spends about $1,500 a year in hosting fees, se-
http://www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013
PUBLISHER’S DESK
RETAIL CURRENTS
RETAIL: AT ISSUE
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT HAVE SHAPED RETAIL
MORE SLOW, MODEST GROWTH PREDICTED
CANADIAN RETAILERS INNOVATING TOWARD SUCCESS
17 TIPS FOR RECOVERING FROM THE POSTCHRISTMAS HANGOVER
DIFFERENTIATION AND SERVICE KEY TO INDIE SUCCESS
TECHNOLOGY AND RETAIL INNOVATION
ADVERTISER'S INDEX
RETAIL QUICK TIPS
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - Cover1
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - Cover2
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 3
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 4
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 5
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - PUBLISHER’S DESK
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 7
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - RETAIL CURRENTS
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 9
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 10
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 11
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - RETAIL: AT ISSUE
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 13
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT HAVE SHAPED RETAIL
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 15
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - MORE SLOW, MODEST GROWTH PREDICTED
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 17
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 18
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 19
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - CANADIAN RETAILERS INNOVATING TOWARD SUCCESS
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 21
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 22
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 23
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 24
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 17 TIPS FOR RECOVERING FROM THE POSTCHRISTMAS HANGOVER
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 26
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 27
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 28
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 29
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 30
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - DIFFERENTIATION AND SERVICE KEY TO INDIE SUCCESS
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 32
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 33
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - TECHNOLOGY AND RETAIL INNOVATION
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 35
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 36
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 37
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 38
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 39
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 40
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 41
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 42
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 43
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 44
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - ADVERTISER'S INDEX
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - RETAIL QUICK TIPS
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - Cover3
Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - Cover4
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