Description: Like a number of other highly-hyped organizations, We Work, a company that was supposed to reinvent the office by giving temporary space to the workforce, has failed. We Work tallied up $16 billion in losses since introducing its first location in New York in 2010. John Andrew, a real estate consultant, said that “They… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Marketing & Strategy
No Strike at No Frills
Description: A last minute deal has averted a strike at discount grocer No Frills. Union President Lana Payne said the new “agreement delivers pattern wages and many other improvements for our members.” An immediate raise of $1.50 an hour appears to be one of the gains. The union had noted that it has been a… Read more »
Air Canada Trying to Settle
Description: Air Canada has been offering disgruntled customers cash or vouchers to settle their claims for travel interruptions. Thousands of Canadians have taken their disputes with Air Canada to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), piling up a backlog of over 60,000 claims for compensation for disrupted travel and other matters. Air Canada maintains it pays… Read more »
Beware of “Shrinkflation”
Description: Watch out for “shrinkflation,” that practice of producers shrinking package sizes to compensate for increasing costs. Instead of passing on the increasing costs to the end consumers, these companies shrink the box size. Shrinking packaging causes consumers, like Ellyn Newall of Edmonton, to feel duped. After getting her grocery order home, Ellyn realized Post’s… Read more »
Old Foes, Now Friends
Description: Rivals Peleton and Lululemon are now friends of sorts. Following a long legal “copy cat” dispute, Lululemon will begin manufacturing Peleton’s branded clothing, while at the same time it will stop producing its Mirror exercise platform and related on-line fitness classes. Retail analyst Neil Saunders, offered that both companies eventually realized that “dabbling in… Read more »
Biosteel’s Big Name Creditors
Description: Failed sports drink company Biosteel has left some big-name creditors on the hook. The company owes over $400 million to creditors and its financial problems appear to be linked to its strategy of recruiting expensive professional athletes for its marketing efforts. Several NBA franchises are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. TSN and Rogers… Read more »
And Here Comes Another iPhone
Description: Wired is calling it a new era for Apple. The iPhone 15 had its splashy kickoff last week, and one big change is the lightning port has been replaced by the USB-C port, meaning all your Apple devices can now be charged with the same cord. On the Pro Max model, Apple has introduced… Read more »
Save Hard; Then Splurge
Description: Jennifer Anchan drives a 2001 Honda Accord that she bought for $1,700 cash; she also purchases used items off Kiiji, and shops more often at dollar stores these days. But she is willing to spend big for travel and concert tickets, savouring experiences with friends over acquiring new things. Recent data from the Royal… Read more »
WestJet Strike?
Description: It’s probably not the news you wanted to hear as you wind down the winter term at university and get ready to travel back home for the summer break: WestJet’s pilots’ union is set for a strike vote. Bernard Lewall, a union representative, is frustrated by the results of the last six months of… Read more »
Rogers-Shaw Merger Approved
Description: The Government of Canada has approved Rogers takeover of Shaw. The move grants Rogers an even greater share of Canada’s cable and media business. But Rogers mobile phone business will see only limited gains as it picks up the smaller prize, Shaw Mobile, which operates primarily in Alberta and BC. The larger portion of… Read more »