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This week on Retail Pulse Check, industry experts Craig Patterson and Stephen O’Keefe discuss the current state of the Canadian retail landscape as the country slowly enters new phases of reopening.
Topics covered included the future of retail innovation in a post-COVID world, the importance of mitigating for a potential second wave, and emerging consumer trends — such as an increase in luxury spending — and the potential reasons why.
Patterson and O’Keefe also spoke about the intricacies of implementing regulated mask mandates for retailers and the disparities between Western and Eastern Canada when it comes to navigating the challenges associated with the ‘new normal’.
Speaker Details:
Craig Patterson, Founder, Editor-In-Chief @Retail Insider
Craig Patterson is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s most-read online retail industry news publication, Retail Insider. He is also a Director at the University of Alberta School of Retailing, as well as a research consultant at Retail Council of Canada. Craig has studied the Canadian retail landscape for over 25 years, and has also been involved with strategy pertaining to urban revitalization in several cities, as well as retail and shopping centre-related design. He is an industry consultant who also gives retail tours and and is a public speaker. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and Bachelor of Laws degree.
Stephen O’Keefe, Founder @Bottom Line Matters
Stephen O’Keefe is a 30 year veteran of the retail industry having worked with major brands such as Sears, Hudson’s Bay, and Walmart where he was Vice President of Loss Prevention and Risk Management. He founded Bottom Line Matters as a source for retailers of all sizes to draw upon his experience and expertise and deal with what matters – maximizing their bottom line. Stephen clients have included major retailers, BIAs, vendors as well as the Industry Association itself. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the retail loss prevention community, sharing best practice to combat shrinkage and advocating for legislative changes to support retail business.
