Blogs

 Here is a Vancouver Sun article on Build Direct.  

Its a great example of entrepreneurial startup, growth, branding and e-commerce innovation.

http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=f6290893...

Retail BC's annual Passion for Retail Conference is just a few weeks away. The Green Retail theme for this British Columbia business showcase is especially timely considering the increased challenges in becoming more sustainable when dealing with the uncertainty of a tough economy.

At the same time research firms continue to lever phone surveys, build expansive web panels and focus energies online, the importance of sound in-store research for retailers is more crucial than ever.

 This is a great post by Seth...http://preview.tinyurl.com/dbzfuq

For those who are interested, you can connect with me on Linked In and Plaxo (updates via Pulse), or follow me on Twitter.

Linked In and Plaxo

I mostly share smaller snippets through these two network sites: general projects (don't name clients, nothing confidential though); links and articles; and current areas of study. Please note: I generally only link here with people I have met or know in my professional circle or who associate directly with same or are referred through other connections. There are always exceptions though...

With Canwest (Canadian newspaper empire) on the brink and various agencies getting quiet, it is obvious Canadian retailers are following US counterparts in cutting ad spend this year.

Yesterday's announced purchase of the 750 stores of The Source is likely just the first of retail M&A activity we will see in 2009.  And this is a biggie and frankly I did not see this one coming.

The Source is Circuit City's rebranded Radio Shack locations in Canada, having been acquired from InterTAN five years ago this month.  It has been on the block since late last year - not due to weak performance itself, but due to the receivership and collapsed support of Circuit City in the U.S..

The following is an op ed by David Ian Gray in this week's Globe-Net newsletter, developed following the very successful Retail Summit on Sustainability

The following is a BC Business article presenting tips for new retailers on site selection... and maybe a refresher for others.

http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/business-sense/need-know/outside-offi...

Too few of us remember, in the northern climate,