Harley Finkelstein

"Listening to the consumer's actual voice can have a much larger impact than analyzing reports." - Gabriel Yanko, Senior Manager of Ecommerce at ASICS Canada Corporation In this episode of Ecommerce Toolbox: Expert Perspectives, host Kailin Noivo speaks with Gabriel about balancing data-driven decisions with customer-centric strategies. Gabriel emphasizes the power of direct customer feedback, working closely with customer service teams to uncover insights that reports alone can't reveal. This episode highlights the importance of going beyond data to truly understand what your customers need, ensuring your strategies are both informed and impactful. Listen to the full episode here: 👉 Apple: https://bit.ly/3VyL4eG 👉 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3VAG9Kp #ecommerce #customerinsights #dataanalysis #DTCstrategy #businessgrowth #ecommercepodcast

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Spotted: Tianshu (Tina) Shen and Chenchong Charles Zhu speaking about Loblaw Digital’s personalized recommendation systems at #TMLS2024! 🎤 The team dove into shopping behaviour across Loblaw Digital's different eCommerce verticals to examine practical use cases of in-session recommendations, then showcased our in-house recommendation model and how it generates personalized shopping experiences for our customers. 🔍 🎯 Thanks for having us Toronto Machine Learning Society (TMLS)!

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When Best Buy Canada expanded their product assortment with a marketplace, they encountered some surprising learnings. On the latest episode of Operation Marketplace, Jason Leung, Senior Manager of Technology and Planning, shares one unexpected outcome: The rising popularity of the “non-new” space. Rather than new categories driving growth, it was the expansion of existing ones that saw the most significant impact. Catch the full conversation with Niklas H. and Jason at the link in the comments!

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In this week's episode of The Voice of Retail #podcast, recorded live at the RCC Retail Marketing Conference in Toronto, Michael gets into a fast-paced discussion with John Fanous Head of Industry, eCommerce & Omni-Channel Retail, Google. They cover the current marketing strategy, communications, tools and tricks to reach an increasingly saturated, diverse shopper and reluctant media consumer. https://hubs.ly/Q02QzQHm0

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Retail #Trends You Can’t Afford to Ignore: Gain Insights from Last Week’s Retail Shake-Up at eTail™ Canada 2024!   Top leaders like Christina Xu (COO, QE Home | Quilts Etc) and Kristi S. (CEO, Encircled) revealed cutting-edge strategies—from leveraging #AI to building seamless omni-channel experiences and creating unified commerce for emerging brands.   Missed the event? Catch up on the innovations that can reshape your retail strategy. Dive into actionable insights here: https://bit.ly/4gSoQgT   #Tru #DigitalTransformation #Retail #eTail25 #RetailNews #eTailToronto #eTailCanada #ECommerce

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Retail in a Cookieless Future with Albertsons Media Collective's Claire Wyatt: https://lnkd.in/dujbqRu6 🛒🌐 In this conversation, recorded at Path to Purchase Institute's Retail Media Summit Canada in Toronto, you’ll hear about how Albertsons Companies' Retail Media network is getting ready for the Future of Retail through: - The Media Collective’s Leadership and Retail Media journey - A cookieless world: activating safe 1st party data and how to measure - Approaching Retail Media as a Full-Funnel value propostion: partnering with Pinterest - Uses of Artificial Intelligence in Retail - Developing of in-store capabilities and how Europe is ahead of the US - How measurement will be a competitive advantage and data as backbone for Retail Media growth

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Around 31 US Ted Baker stores and 9 Canada-based stores are set to close as the retailer files for bankruptcy. The #retailer has already closed its e-commerce site. Ted Baker has seen ups and downs in the last few years. What led to its bankruptcy? Our analysis of Ted Baker's historical foot traffic shows the retailer suffered a large hit from the pandemic. Visits dropped by 178% from Q4 2019 to Q2 2020. While visits began to increase afterwards, it wasn't until 2022 when the retailer saw regular visits of over 200,000 to stores per quarter. When Ted Baker began sales after announcing its bankruptcy, visits did increase by 14.8% from April to May 2024. #RetailInsights #RetailNews #TedBaker #Apparel #Fashion #Retail #HighStreet

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Guest Feature: Transform Your Brand Engagement with a Referral Program 🏡🌟 We're thrilled to have Lianne McOuat, VP Strategy and Principal at McOuat Partnership, share her expertise in our latest blog. With years of experience in new home marketing, Lianne explains how a well-executed referral program can really improve brand engagement. In today’s competitive market, it’s important to stand out—especially for new developments. A strong referral program can help by: 🛠️ Making referrals easy 💰 Stretching your budget 🎁 Rewarding loyalty 👥 Building connections Don't miss Lianne’s tips on how to take your real estate marketing to the next level! https://hubs.ly/Q02LXGG30 #RealEstateMarketing #GuestBlog #ReferralPrograms #BrandEngagement #Locorum #McOuatPartnership

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This month, as part of our ongoing Women to the Power of Women Spotlight Series, we’re proud to feature Cristi, a Director on our Digital Product Management Team.    We asked Cristi some questions — here’s what she had to say. Aritzia: What does being a woman mean to you? Cristi: Being a positive role model for my son, a supportive partner to my husband, a grateful daughter to my mother and loyal to my friends. It also means being vulnerable, courageous and authentic while treating everyone kindly. Aritzia: What does Women to the Power of Women mean to you? Cristi: Genuinely supporting each other to succeed and graciously stepping aside to give others the opportunity to shine. Aritzia: If you could tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would it be? Cristi: Everything you’re doing will get you to where you want to be. Stick to your goals and continue following the path you’re on. Aritzia: Who’s your role model and why? Cristi: My mom — she’s a single, immigrant mother who raised me on her own with no financial support and little family around. Through her, I learned what true resilience means. She instilled in me the value of hard work and what it means to be selfless and compassionate. Aritzia: What advice would you give to the next generation of women? Cristi: What you put into yourself — career, relationships — is what you’ll receive in return. Work hard, always. It pays off.   As a women-led company, we know there’s no force more powerful than women working together to achieve a common goal. That’s why Women to the Power of Women — or Womenᵂᵒᵐᵉⁿ — has become something of a mantra for us. It symbolizes our collective power and propels us forward, today and every day.    Want to work alongside the inspirational women at Aritzia? Click the image below to explore all available positions — we’d love to meet you.   #product #retail #opportunity #careers

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The world's leading eCommerce and omnichannel conference for Canadian retailers, eTail™ Toronto, returns September 25 – 26, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Toronto!   Learn from founders, CEOs, VPs and senior-level speakers from companies like Hudson's Bay Company, Walmart Canada, Harry Rosen, and Canadian Tire Corporation, and more about how they are optimizing their omnichannel marketing and retail strategies and improving their market access capabilities. With a program designed by months of in-depth research with industry leaders, eTail™ Toronto presents valuable solutions for every member of your team, supporting them in successfully navigating the evolving retail landscape.   Check out the full agenda to learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3zJQX0T   #eTailToronto #retail #ecommerce #eTail25 Gaianti Raj

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AI-Powered Marketing: Insights from Loblaw! What's Your Story? Episode 10, Season 3: Sabrina LaRosa Sabrina LaRosa, Senior Director of Media Strategy at Loblaw, shares insights into how AI is transforming marketing strategies at one of Canada’s largest retailers. Discover how Loblaw leverages AI to enhance customer engagement, optimize campaigns, and create personalized shopping experiences across digital channels. Whether you're in marketing or simply curious about AI in retail, join us for a deep dive into the intersection of technology and strategy. Don’t forget to subscribe for more inspiring stories and insider marketing tips! #BRANDedAgency #AIinMarketing #AIRevolution #whatsyourstory

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An insightful discussion was had yesterday at Retail Council of Canada’s RCCSTORE ‘24 between Meaghan Brophy and Ryan Webber on a panel moderated by Chris Riegel. Strategies to unlock opportunity in the fast evolving world of retail media were discussed, as was the importance of using a full-funnel approach to reaching customers at every stage of the shopper journey. #RCCSTORE24 #retailmedia #walmartconnect #walmartconnectcanada

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This week on TRF we welcome Daniel Shalinsky CEO & CoFounder of Withe 🔹 A Canadian tech startup who took a page from the online shopping world when retailers were struggling in the Covid lock downs. 🔹 Using virtual appointments to shop for clothes, the pivot over to on line job fairs was not much of a stretch. 🔹 Some big wins with high volume hiring, imagine doing 200 interviews in one hiring event. 🔹 Shout out to Taco-Fino as the birth place for business solutions. #hr #highvolumehiring #recruitment #talentacquisition (Episode link in the comments)

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🍁 As DATASCAN expands its presence across Canada, we reflect on the meaningful growth and partnerships we've cultivated with some of the nation's largest retailers. Our journey into the Canadian market has not only been about expanding our reach but also about deepening our understanding of unique retail challenges and providing tailored inventory solutions. In Canada, where geographical vastness can complicate retail operations, our plug-and-play technology has become a crucial tool for retailers. It allows businesses, especially those in remote areas, to take control of their inventory processes efficiently. This adaptability is something we take great pride in, as it speaks to our core mission of empowering retailers with technology that simplifies and enhances their operational capabilities. 🔗 The increasing adoption of our solutions in Canada has underscored a significant point: exposure to the right technology can transform inventory management. Retailers previously reliant on outdated systems are now experiencing firsthand the difference that dedicated, purpose-built tools can make—tools designed for ease and efficiency, tailored to meet the day-to-day challenges of inventory management. 📅 We invite you to join us at the upcoming RCC Store Conference, where we will be at Booth #311. Here, we will showcase our latest advancements in RFID versus barcode technology—a demonstration of our commitment to innovation and efficiency in inventory management. As we continue to grow and learn in this vibrant market, we remain committed to the idea that technology should work for you, making inventory management not just a necessity but a strategic advantage. #Datascan #InventoryManagement #RetailTechnology #RCCStoreConference #CanadianRetail #BusinessGrowth

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🎙️ Tune in to this week's episode of The Voice of Retail #podcast, featuring James Connell, Sabir Semerkant, an eCommerce consulting guru with 25+ years in e-commerce and over a billion dollars in revenue growth to his name. Sabir shares insights into his framework, which unlocks 2X-10X growth for any e-commerce business with Product-Market Fit. Listen to this episode now https://hubs.ly/Q02CNCpf0

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🚀 Wholesale vs. DTC: The Real Profit Driver? A recent BMO Capital Markets report reveals that many brands see higher profitability with wholesale channels compared to DTC. The findings challenge the belief that DTC is the ultimate margin enhancer. Key insights: - Most DTC EBIT margins fall below wholesale margins. - Hybrid models show better profitability than DTC-only strategies. - High-margin companies may benefit from DTC, but overall, the shift to DTC has not significantly increased revenue or profitability for most brands. At Quivers, we're empowering brands to navigate these challenges effectively by: 1. Expanding Sell-In: Drive in-store sell-through and increase product visibility. 2. Accelerating Sell-Through: Boost sales with incentivized training and sales contests. 3. Optimizing Sales Strategies: Gain insights into inventory and consumer demand to make informed decisions. Join brands like yours in overcoming overstocking and enhancing profitability through a unified approach to B2B and B2C channels. Your retailers want you on board! 📈 Ready to grow with Quivers? Start your Free 30-day Trial or book a consultation today! #WholesaleSuccess #RetailGrowth #QuiversPlatform #DTCvsWholesale #BusinessInsights 🔗 https://hubs.li/Q02DzXYH0

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What happened in the world of eCommerce recently? 1. Surmesur continues to expand - Surmesur, the official suit provider of the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association (NHLCA) is going to open a new store in Toronto. This store is supposed to showcase a modern approach to tailoring. 2. ⁠General Purpose Robots for Canadian Tire? - Yes, Canadian Tire has partnered with Sanctuary AI to introduce the inaugural human-like robot, known as “General Purpose Robots”. They will be doing the monotonous tasks in retail. 3. ⁠Apple Vision Pro is not coming to Canada (soon) - Apple Vision Pro is set to expand to the international markets and it does not have Canada on the list. 4. ⁠Shopify's surprise loss in Q1 - Shopify has posted a surprise net loss of $273 million during Q1. They predict slower growth in the coming months. 5. Why is ⁠Roots making sweatpants sexy? - Gen Z does not like anything boring and Roots Canada has realised this. They have hired Joey Gollish to make things better. #ecommercenews #tldr #canadanews #smallbusiness #entrepreneur #shippingchimp #ecomx

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Is Canada too focused on building to sell? Shopify’s president calls out a ‘600-pound beaver’ – a cultural hesitation to aim beyond acquisition, as growth over exit strategies could redefine Canadian business ambition. We discussed this topic and what we think about it in our most recent video. Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/ds6vM4Kf #BusinessGrowth #CanadianTech #StartupCulture

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