The unique magic of luxury
What makes luxury? Is champagne’s charm found in its effervescent lightness, or the ceremony of its uncorking? It can be both. Consumers will pay a premium for all kinds of reasons, and luxury goods acquire their reputations through their rarity, provenance, or workmanship. But luxury is also in the eye of the beholder, according to Charles de Brabant, the Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management.
Bensadoun MMR is defined by experiential learning
The McGill Bensadoun Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) continues to reinvent retail education through offering experiential learning opportunities. By solving real problems in collaboration with industry partners during their internships, MMR students gain early career experience and establish meaningful connections with mentors even before they graduate.
MMR Retail Leaders series features John Gerhardt
John Gerhardt, Creative Director at Moët Hennessy (LVMH), recently spoke with Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) students about brand identity, sustainability, creativity, and his career trajectory. For Gerhardt, creativity is a vital business skill that ensures differentiation, and he feels risk-taking is crucial to being successful.
Desautels Masters Office earns certificate of sustainability
Four McGill offices, including the Desautels Faculty of Management Masters Office, have committed to advancing sustainability in concrete ways through the Sustainable Workplace Certification program. In the year ahead, the Masters Office will strive to reduce its ecological footprint with the goal of moving from bronze-level certification to gold and platinum.
How far is too far for retail innovation?
Professor Saibal Ray, academic director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, is concerned that the ongoing rise in retail technologies like self-checkout kiosks and smartphone-based order facilities may backfire as some shoppers find these features inconvenient and frustrating.
New trucker vaccine mandate adds to supply chain woes
As of January 15, truckers crossing from the U.S. to Canada must show proof of vaccination to enter the country. Canadian truckers are exempt from the federal mandate but must quarantine for 14 days upon their return. In a recent broadcast of “CBC News: The National,” Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, says the mandate could result in significant supply shortages.
Desautels professor named top retail influencer in 2022
Congratulations to Professor Maxime Cohen for making Rethink Retail’s list of Top Retail Influencers of 2022 in the academia category. Recognized for his groundbreaking leadership as co-director of McGill’s Retail Innovation Lab, Professor Cohen is making a name for himself at the forefront of retail transformation.
Making investing more transparent
In a new paper, Professor Maxime Cohen and his colleagues push for IPOs to adopt “triggered disclosures” instead of one-size-fits-all disclosures about their operations. Although currently voluntary, mandatory triggered disclosures would maintain company privacy while setting a precedent for greater transparency with investors.
Pushing back against fast fashion
The past five years have seen a rise in privately owned apparel resale companies, bucking previous trends toward fast fashion. Between ongoing clothing supply shortages and growing concern about sustainability, younger Millennials and Gen Zers are turning to curated vintage retailers to stock their wardrobes, explains Anwar White, Program Director of the Master of Management in Retailing.
Retailers are hoping for better days ahead after Omicron
In recent weeks, the highly transmissible Omicron variant has dampened once-sunny retail forecasts for 2022. But according to Charles de Brabant, Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Canadian retailers may experience a sizable increase in sales after emerging from the latest round of lockdowns.
Shedding light on liquor shortages
Amid supply chain bottlenecks overseas, Canada is facing a significant shortage of imported liquor, leading provincial liquor authorities to encourage early, local shopping for holiday favourites. According to Professor Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, the ongoing scarcity of transportation resources is only making the shortage more acute.
Transforming revenue into community impact
When COVID-19 hit Canada, Catherine Dagenais (EMBA’18) successfully maintained employee and consumer operations at SAQ, Quebec’s liquor commission. As the government retailer’s CEO since 2018, Dagenais spearheaded company efforts to implement strict sanitary protocols and develop contactless delivery solutions to meet consumer needs.
Building sustainable brands
In an upcoming Retail Leaders Talk, Liza Amlani will speak with Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) students about her vision for helping retail brands build more equitable and sustainable strategies.
Storytelling in luxury retail
Earlier this fall, Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) students had the chance to hear from Lanita Layton, a luxury retail and brand consultant with over two decades of retail experience. Throughout the pandemic, Layton stood at the forefront of helping companies reimagine their brand stories to sustain loyal relationships with existing customers and expand their reach to new audiences.
This holiday season is make-or-break for retailers
In light of ongoing supply chain bottlenecks and labour shortages, businesses may not offer their deepest discounts this holiday season. According to Professor Saibal Ray, the Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, 2021 sales will signal whether many retailers can stay afloat despite production delays.
