Nothing is worse than doing some good, old fashioned online shopping and getting to the checkout, then seeing that the import duties cost more than your total. We’ve all been there and that’s why we were thrilled to learn that Nordstrom has launched a Canadian e-commerce platform.

Nordstrom’s recently rolled out e-commerce platform gives Canadians free standard shipping, returns, and no import duty fees.

Before there was this e-com platform, Canadians could always shop Nordstrom.com and pick-up in store for free, however due to COVID-19, that has been suspended. Also due to the pandemic, shipping orders may take longer than normal as more people are ordering online. While standard shipping is free of charge, if you’re looking to receive your goodies within two business days, it’ll cost you an extra $20, and next day deliveries cost $28.

The retailer’s offerings online are quite extensive from designer duds and cosmetics, to mens and kids items, and even homewares.

A few designer names you can expect to see and possibly order range from Balmain, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Burberry, and many more. According to Retail-Insider, the prices at Nordstrom line up with Holt Renfrew. It’s also thought that Nordstrom’s new e-commerce platform will spark competition with high-end Canadian menswear store Harry Rosen as well as Maison Simons and even heritage company Hudson’s Bay.

Only time will tell with how this new platform performs but for now, free shipping and no import duties are definitely something to celebrate!

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Let’s be real: online shopping has changed the retail game forever. It’s become a quick guilty pleasure for many of us and the little dose of convenient retail therapy and a mild adrenaline rush when your order arrives is addictive.

But for all of its glory, the one thing that can kill the excitement of that package arriving at your doorstep is having to dish out what feels like half your paycheque for import taxes and duties.

These taxes are associated with bringing the item(s) into Canada, and it’s often at this point that you regret not getting yourself together to take the trip to the mall.

Of course, sales tax – the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) – is inevitable no matter where or how you purchase an item and we just have to accept that.

Keep in mind that the GST is applied after customs duties have been applied so the amount of import tax you’re slapped with depends on both the type of product you’ve ordered, and the country that it’s coming from.

What also varies is the amount you’re charged for brokerage, which fluctuates depending on the currier company used to get packages processed through Canada Customs at the Canadian border.

These fees are passed down to the customer – and can often come as a surprise.

Such fees are usually much higher than those of the country’s shipping giant, Canada Post, and some include brokers fees in courier costs, while others will add them on top.

To avoid surprises, check whether your shipping service includes such brokers fees.

If this info is absent from the site, you can always check with the individual shipping company.

Sometimes, one of your click-happy purchases may arrive and the bearer of such purchases – the delivery service person – may ask for very little in the duties and taxes department in exchange for your anticipated items.

Naturally, this is the case if you’ve ordered the product within Canada but there are ways to spend less on products from outside of Canada’s borders.

Savvy online shoppers know of another way to cut costs.

When it comes to taxes and duties: consider the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Thanks to NAFTA, Canadian shoppers don’t pay import duties on items that were produced in the United States, and are arriving directly to Canada from south of the border.

CETA follows the same guidelines when it comes to items made in the European Union (EU) that are arriving directly to our home and native land.

In both cases, the key factor is that the item is made in either the United States or the European Union; not simply sold there at a company that occupies real estate on American or EU soil.

The distinction is just a few clicks of research away.

While Canada Post is required to charge the recipient a handling fee of $5 for mail items and $8 for express mail items for duties and taxes evaluated by the the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), if there is no duty or tax owed, they don’t charge a fee.

Finally (not that many of us need the reminder), it’s also important to read shipping policies and prices carefully before typing in your credit card number.

Weight, size, speed, and quantity all affect shipping costs. It’s also super important to remember to also consider the exchange rate when it comes to shipping fees (and for the cost of the items, obviously).

Oh, and be weary of drinking and online shopping (something that has become an issue); a steep bill may not be the only surprise that shows up on your doorstep.  

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Dollarama Inc. has plans to launch an e-commerce platform to sell Canadian shoppers popular items in bulk.  Earlier in the year The Montreal-based dollar store chain confirmed that it begin selling goods by the case online sometime within the 2018 calendar year.  The goal of the platform is to cater to clients looking to make large-scale purchases such as event companies looking for cheap wine glasses or an art school looking for cheap art supplies.

While Dollarama is confident in their new strategy they have yet to confirm delivery costs and or the products that will be available for online orders.

Why would Dollarama want to start selling online? The rationale for Dollarama is simple – If customers want to buy in large quantities they previously had to travel to several stores. This will eliminate the need to do that and Dollarama will be able to serve high-volume customers effectively.  Dollarama is launching their e-commerce platform with the goal of adding incremental business, with the aim of not cannibalizing its existing bricks-and-mortar stores. The plan is to only sell products that can be sold in bulk while focusing the sale of everyday products in-store.

In addition to serving high-volume customers, Dollarama is also looking to capitalize on the coveted b2b market.  Their online platform is looking to get the attention of classroom buyers, and small business’ who need a recurring level of affordable supplies.

What do you think? Would you shop Dollarama Online?

Amazon is continually pushing the envelope when it comes to the e-commerce world.  They disrupted the world with their easy delivery systems, and the mega-retailers looking to add another facet to improve delivery that might just creep you out a little.  CNBC is reporting that Amazon is searching for a way to ensure that deliveries reach their rightful destination with an integrated home security system that would allow Amazon couriers to enter your home when you aren’t there.

While some people will obviously be against this idea, this could be a great solution for many Amazon shoppers.  CNBC reports that Amazon has been working with Phrame – a company that makes “smart” license plate frames that can unlock your car trunk via an app, offering one-time time-limited access for a courier to open your drunk and place a package inside. This idea is being extrapolated to work on your house.

The real question will be, are you comfortable allowing a stranger into your house without you there?  Let the debate begin.

Just over a year ago, American Apparel filed for bankruptcy and went on to close all of its stores. Customers and fans of the brand flocked to the closing sales and wondered when they would ever be able to get their hands on AA gear ever again. Some of you may have forgotten, but between 2005 and 2011 AA was king and literally ushered in the “hipster look”.

After AA closed down, Canadin clothing manufacturer giant Gildan Activewear acquired American Apparel out of bankruptcy proceedings and has now re-launched American Apparel’s e-commerce website. The new website is fully operational and features access to archival AA pieces. Unfortunately, right now the company is only shipping within the United States. There’s no word on whether the company will pick back up in Canada, yet.

Another big change for fans to note is that the Gildan-owned company no longer makes all of its products in the USA either. If that’s what you are keen on you have to check out the made in USA capsule collection. 

Happy shopping.

In Canada and the United States, online shopping is growing at a faster rate than brick and mortar retail sales, and brands who fail to adapt are suffering. Shopping online is easier, cheaper, and more comfortable, while the accessibility of information, choice and availability can make getting what you want online much more simple than in store. According to the Toronto Star, online sales in Canada are growing at a rate of 15% per year compared to 3% for in-store retail sales. The reasons behind this shift to online shopping are complex and varied, but it is safe to assume that the increasing security, convenience and pervasiveness of e-commerce has altered the retail landscape forever, making an online store a must for any brand that wants to stay competitive.  

However, traditional retail isn’t doomed and more online shopping doesn’t spell the immediate death of the physical storefront. Even online-first brands like Casper, Warby Parker and Frank & Oak see the benefits of brick and mortar, because they recognize there will always be consumers who want to be able to physically see, touch, try and/or hold the product they’re about to purchase. Brands need both because these two channels serve different purposes. While brick and mortar spaces allow for the physical interactions with products, people and space, online stores are a better, more efficient way for customers to actually buy the things they want and need.

The #CasperCottage pop-up shop in Toronto (Image: Instagram/@Casper)

This should be seen as an exciting opportunity for retailers to elevate the use of their physical spaces for purposes that go beyond basic business transactions. If the act of moving inventory and taking money can be done better online, then that is where those activities should take place. Physical stores should be used for creating spaces that don’t just provide a good or service, but allow consumers to engage with the brand on a deeper and more emotional level. The use of physical space should then be optimized to strengthen the organization’s brand, increase customer loyalty and develop a two way customer-brand relationship.  

One of the few brands in Canada that is doing this well is Nike. They operated the Nike Running Club out of the Toronto Nike Loft, a “loft and chill out space” situated in downtown Toronto. Although the space was also used to test and promote new products, the primary intention for was to create a gathering place for runners. This space was not used to directly sell products but to incorporate a social aspect into running; to keep runners accountable and motivated, and to create a Nike branded support system to help them reach and surpass their athletic goals. Although they removed the business transaction from the customer-brand relationship, Nike used the space to create a community around Nike’s brand to promote several of the values tied to brand identity.

Nike Run Club (Image: Instagram/@NikeToronto)

In early 2017, Nike redesigned the loft to shift away from runners and engage with a more style focused customer segment. The space now showcases the myriad of ways in which you can customize your sneakers using NikeID (an online sneaker customization engine), offers “SNKR Services” which can winterize your sneakers (very important in Toronto) as well as a few areas to relax and hang out. Although the space is no longer as community oriented as it once was — Nike still offers free workouts across the city — this is not exactly a store where one goes to make a purchase. The loft is still very much a space that is reflective of the NikeID brand, allowing customer to explore and interact with the brand, and become familiar with its value proposition.

More and more of the stuff we buy is going to be bought and sold online, and as the technology and attitudes around e-commerce change this trend will only increase. Physical stores are no longer the only place where customers can buy the things they want and need, and this should be seen as an opportunity for brands to get creative with how they use their physical space.

How brands do this will vary brand to brand because the uses should be a reflection of the unique values that a given brand represents. But it’s safe to say that we’ll see business transactions take a secondary role in physical stores which will be used to develop stronger relationships with customers and build greater meaning behind brand purpose, values and identity.

Do you think retail stores are changing for the better? Share your opinion in the comment section!

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In an interesting move, Walmart announced that it will be testing out a new delivery method for e-commerce sales.  Walmart wants to utilize its current workforce by having store associates make deliveries on their way home from work.

The reason is simple, Retail Wire points out that almost 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart, and although numbers haven’t been shared it’s likely similarly high in Canada.

Store associates have the ability to sign up for specific packages and take them to the waiting customer on their way home for work. The service rendered by the store associate will earn them a couple extra bucks and decrease Walmart’s e-commerce division logistical costs.

The concept called Walmart  “Last Mile” is being tested at three stores in the U.S., but industry insiders point out a slew of concerns.  Is the employee responsible if something happens to the package? How will employees be trained to deal with weird customer interactions, do employees even want to do this?

All are valid questions. Although there is the incentive of extra pay, it’s still an employee who after a long of work now has to go make an extra delivery.

What do you guys think? Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Source: Retail Wire 

If you are a regular reader of this website, you’ve probably done some online shopping. According to a 2016 Canadian e-commerce study, online shopping in Canada will be a $40 billion industry by 2018.

With that in mind, it’s clear that Canadians are taking the plunge online, but what exactly are we buying and searching for when we shop online?

If you’ve ever had the same questions, you might be interested in the fact that Estately.com just did some of the research through Google Trends that measure Canadian internet searches using the google option and discovered some interesting information.

We can tell you one thing, the searches might surprise you, what should not surprise you is that Canadians can be weird, especially with their online shopping interests.

Here are some interesting highlights:

• People in Alberta love dog costumes.
• British Columbia seems to have an aging population and they like Ivanka Trump Jewelry.
•  People in Manitoba still rollerskate – who knew?
• People in New Brunswick are big time into ballet?
• Nunavut  and the Yukon are the only provinces/territories with “normal” searches for the region.
• People in the Northwest Territories dream of warmer climate with bikini searches
• People in Newfoundland and Labrador search for male condoms – guess the local store is out of them?
• Ontario Searches perfectly sum up Toronto millennials – Weed, Tattoo Sleeves and a Baby on Board stickers round out the top 3 searches. Also Coyote urine… Really?
• People in Nova Scotia are very interested in their familial lineage and Mankini’s.

To see the full list of searches, check out the Estately article here

Golden crisp-on-the-outside soft-on-the-inside bites of perfection. If that sentence just made your mouth water, then you’ll definitely want to check out this new collection.

Hopping on the e-commerce bandwagon is mall foodcourt staple, New York Fries. The popular eatery, known for mouth-watering fries and poutines, will be launching its very own online store this Saturday, April 1st, and no, it’s not an April Fool’s joke.

Dedicated fry eaters can expect French fry phone cases, sweaters and baby onesies with quirky sayings like, “Fries Before Guys” and “You Can Call Me Small Fry”. Prices will range between $12 and $27, with free shipping available across Canada.

Check out some of the expected offerings below.

Will you shop the New York Fries online store?

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LVMH has been one of those mega brands that has tried to resist the pull of e-commerce. The multinational luxury brand conglomerate that owns Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon, Hennessy,  Dior, Céline, Givenchy, Fendi and a bevy of other luxury brands has typically looked at selling online with a look of affectation.

According to The Financial Times,  LVMH is set to launch a massive and all-encompassing e-commerce platform that will reportedly sell all 70 of LVMH’s brands and even possibly carry brands outside the LVMH family as well.

While industry insiders aren’t exactly sure what the e-commerce play will be, The Financial Times suggest the store could open at the end of the month. This could be a very interesting move for LVMH, as they have a roster of some of the most coveted brands on the planet, and their brands aren’t widely available through e-commerce platforms.

Louis Vuitton shipped to your house? Yes please!