Retail excellence celebrated at the 4th annual National Retail Innovation Awards

Dr. David Sobey, CM, at the National Retail Innovation Awards in 2019

The excellence of three Canadian retailers was recognized at the 4th annual National Retail Innovation Awards, presented by the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services, located at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

"This is our 4th Annual National Retail Awards, and it is a great pleasure to recognize three outstanding, up-and-coming Canadian retailers for their innovation this year,” says Dr. Ramesh Venkat, director of the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services. “The big lessons for retailers from the past six months are the need for nimbleness, innovation customer focus, and social consciousness. Our award winners exemplify these virtues."

This year’s winners are:

• DUER, winner of the Retail Business Model Innovation Award

• Knix, winner of the Retail Technology Innovation Award

• Vessi Footwear, winner of the Community Service Innovation Award

Retail Business Model Innovation Award winner DUER was founded in 2013 and is based in Vancouver. They feature modern jeans and pants that meet the needs of the active with performance, comfort, and style. They create and market a prototype of a product: new washes, new colours, or a completely new style. Customers place orders, and then if enough of the design is purchased, DUER puts it into production and delivers the garment in four to six weeks. Their products are sold online and at three DUER store locations. 

Retail Technology Innovation Award winner Knix was founded in 2013 and is based in Toronto. Knix makes wireless bras, sports bras, period-proof underwear, loungewear and more. Their clothes are designed with comfort in mind. In response to the pandemic, Knix switched its annual warehouse sale to an online format. Sale volumes rose and turned a three-day event into an event that sold out in only four hours. They also launched a virtual fitting program that allows customers to do a video chat, during which a Knix consultant can help customers find products and assist them with determining the right size. 

Community Service Innovation Award winner Vessie Footwear is based in Vancouver and was founded in 2017. They sell the world's first 100 percent waterproof knit shoe. This online retailer has given away 2,000 free sneakers to health-care workers, launched a 'pay what you can' model to donate 400,000 face masks, and created a Community Fund Program to give away $100,000 for initiatives launched in the community. It also started Vessi TV, giving the community ways to stay healthy and cope with the coronavirus crisis. 

“As the largest private-sector employer in the country, retailers in Canada hold a critical role in our economy,” noted Diane J. Brisebois, President & CEO of Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and a member of the David Sobey Advisory Council. “This year has been particularly challenging for retailers. To succeed in the post-pandemic retail world, Canadian retailers must adjust to new realities and new patterns of consumer behaviour. To grow and prosper in this new environment, our retailers must continue to innovate in technology, customer experience, store design, supply chain, and much more. We applaud this year’s winners as they embody innovative thinking and customer care – Congratulations to Knix, DUER and Vessi Footwear."

The National Retail Innovation Awards celebrates Canadian retailers' achievements and retailers who have demonstrated innovation and excellence in the industry. The awards are hosted by the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services, part of Saint Mary's University's Sobey School of Business. The awards close a very successful Retail Month that featured panels and discussion on e-commerce and the future of retailing, women in retail, and sustainable retailing.   

Founded in 2014, the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services funds research projects relevant to the retail sector, sponsors retail innovation and student competitions, and offers executive education for the retail industry.

Trailblazers recognized at National Retail Innovation Awards

On Nov. 1, Saint Mary’s University and the David Sobey Centre hosted the National Retail Innovation Awards at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront hotel. The annual awards recognize young retail and support companies that offer innovative contributions to the Canadian retail sector. This year’s winners were Poppy Barley, Six Hundred Four, and Dash Hudson.

James Lepp, the owner of the Vancouver-based shoe retailer Six Hundred Four, received an Instagram message inviting him to receive the award in Halifax. The award, which is for innovative customer experience, is the company’s first-ever. Lepp and his wife excitedly packed their bags and headed to Halifax.

“It’s nice that someone of importance [...] is recognizing what we’re doing,” he says.

“Retail is extremely exciting today,” says Dr. Ramesh Venkat, director of the David Sobey Centre. “We see companies focusing on customer experience and data-driven decisions, so it’s a very vibrant environment where innovation is not optional. The companies that take the road less travelled seem to be the ones that are making their mark.”

Each winner this year is making a mark in their own way. Poppy Barley won the Award for Sustainable Retailing Innovation for its socially and environmentally conscious approach to luxury fashion. Shoe retailer Six Hundred Four won the Award for Retail Customer Experience for its unique sneaker gallery, as well as its virtual reality shopping experience. Lastly, Halifax’s own Dash Hudson won the Award for Technology Innovation for its AI-driven platform that helps companies with their visual assets to increase customer engagement.

“As a company that is based in Halifax […] who primarily does business in the United States, it’s great to be recognized by a Canadian institution, and a Halifax institution, like Saint Mary’s for the work that we’re doing,” says Thomas Rankin, CEO and co-founder of Dash Hudson.

Dr. David Sobey, Chairman Emeritus Empire Company Limited, praised the winners and their contributions. “The opportunity to honour innovators in the retail industry has been a great benefit to the Sobey School of Business and Saint Mary’s University, as well as to the students. This event gives us all a great opportunity to dialogue with leaders of industry, and in particular, the retail industry,” he says.

The David Sobey Centre was launched in 2015 with the support of Dr. David Sobey. The centre focuses on three main areas: research, innovation and education. The centre is a leading source of retail expertise and helps to prepare the next generation of industry leaders.

Industry leaders, like Poppy Barley, Six Hundred Four, and Dash Hudson, that will go on to further innovate and disrupt the retail sector.

Saint Mary’s University to participate in Halifax and eBay partnership on retail program

Saint Mary’s University and The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services are proud to be a part of a new partnership between eBay Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality. The partnership is for Retail Revival, an eBay program designed to help small and medium-sized retailers harness the power of e-commerce and global trade.

Retail Revival is a free 12-month training, support and educational program that empowers 60 – 70 local small and medium-sized retailers to thrive by leveraging eBay's global marketplace to reach new customers around the world. The program will also include a dedicated customer service support team, digital tools and subscriptions, promotional marketing from eBay, as well as additional education and resources from participating partners focused on small business and exporting.  

The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services will participate in the eBay Retail Revival program in Halifax as a research partner.  Dr. Ramesh Venkat, Director of the David Sobey Centre, along with Dr. Rahman Khokhar and Dr. Mark Raymond will form a research team to study the performance of the companies participating in the program as well as the overall economic impact on this region.

“This partnership represents a great opportunity for both our region and university,” said Saint Mary’s University president Robert Summerby-Murray. “It is a recognition of the important role that we play as a national leader in business education, entrepreneurship and retail across Canada. We look forward to bringing the expertise of our business faculty and the David Sobey Centre to this partnership.”

This program is a partnership between eBay Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality. It is supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia. As part of the program, eBay is partnering with Halifax Partnership, Nova Scotia Business Inc., and Saint Mary’s University.

Photo credits: Stoo Metz, Click Productions.