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‘Retail is in the details’ Whistler chamber members told at luncheon

Businesses need to innovate, use social media and online opportunities: Mark Startup, Retail Council
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RETAIL IS IN THE DETAILS Mark Startup of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) spoke about new retail trends at the Whistler Chamber of Commerce luncheon on April 24. Photo by Cathryn Atkinson

What does it take for retail to sell itself to shoppers these days?

Innovation, social media, the digital store and the connected consumer are things Whistler retailers must embrace if they are succeed in the shifting shopping climate, Mark Startup of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) told resort store owners.

Startup, the vice-president of My STORE, newly created by the RCC to serve retailers across Canada, spoke about new retail trends at the Whistler Chamber of Commerce luncheon on April 24.

He provided wide-ranging data outlining the conditions Canadian retailers are currently working under, their opinions on what is most useful to their sector in terms of generating business and how they think they are doing.

"Retailers are generally optimistic," Startup said. "(Retailers believe) the average sales increase for 2013 is five per cent, which is very optimistic, when we consider that most economists are expecting an increase in the two to 2.2 per cent range."

Sales on specific dedicated shopping days are particularly important, he added.

For more on this story pick up Pique this week or check back online at www.piquenewsmagazine.com.