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 »
Posts Categorized: Marketing & Strategy
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 »
Here Comes Shake Shack
Description: Canada will be getting its first Shake Shack in 2024. The American burger joint has targeted Toronto for its entry into our Canadian market, but it has said it plans to have 35 stores here by 2035. The fast food market in Canada reports growing sales, with the number up 9% in 2022 and… Read more »
Gordon Moore Dies
Description: Intel co-founder Gordon Moore has died at age 94. In 1965 Moore made a famous prediction that became known as Moore’s Law: essentially, it states that the capacity of computer chips would double every 12 months or so. His rule was expanded to a broader range of technology, sparking the notion that the next… Read more »
Head West for the Summer!
Description: If you ever thought of heading west for a summer job in tourist locations like Banff, Canmore or Lake Louise, this might be the year for you. Worker shortages have employers scrambling to meet their staff needs in the hospitality industry in these Rocky Mountain resort areas. Wages are heading up to help attract… Read more »
Nordstrom Out: Familiar Story
Description: American high-end retailer Nordstrom is pulling out of Canada. The chain started Canadian operations in 2014, but it has not been making any money here, reporting losses of $72 million in 2022. The Retail Strategy Group’s Liza Amlani was not surprised by Nordstrom’s move, noting that it had made the same classic mistake as… Read more »
Starbucks Raises (and Lowers) the Bar
Description: If you’re a Starbucks’ rewards points regular, you may have noticed that the company has raised the bar, now requiring twice as many points for some of the free treat options. Hot coffee, tea, and bakery selections that used to cost you 50 stars (or points) will now cost you double that amount. If… Read more »
Freeze Lifted
Description: High food prices have been impacting Canadian consumers in this inflationary environment, and some are expressing their displeasure via social media in the wake of Loblaw lifting a prize freeze it had set back in the fall of 2022. Loblaw has responded through its own social media channels to defend its actions against consumers’… Read more »
Musk Unloads; Share Price Falls
Description: Elon Musk unloaded another large chunk of his Tesla stock this past week, driving the share price down 16% in a week. Of course, this does not leave investors in a very good mood, and one major investor is calling for Musk to step down as CEO of Tesla. Musk has sold close to… Read more »