The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[Sheba]

There's still no specific dates on when Muji and Uniqlo will open in Metrotown, other than Uniqlo is hiring now for a fall opening. Here's a map from Retail Insider showing where they'll be located.


http://www.retail-insider.com/retail...muji-metrotown

[SpongeG]

The date first floated for Muji was July 2017, probably open before September. Uniqlo probably not until at least November, they did say fall 2017.

[flipper316]

Ok guys i'm confused. Are Uniqlo and Muji the same type of stores?

[Max.]

Originally Posted by flipper316

Ok guys i'm confused. Are Uniqlo and Muji the same type of stores?

No. Uniqlo is a fast fashion brand such as H&M but with a little bit better quality and simpler design. MUJI means "brandless high quality goods" and it is a life-style concept store, which offer a wide range of products from stationery to suitcase.

[Sheba]

Court grants Sears Canada approval to begin liquidation sales Friday

Sears Canada has been given approval to begin the liquidation sales Friday at the 59 locations it plans to close.

Ontario Superior Judge Barbara Conway approved the motion Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Sears lawyer Jeremy Dacks said the company wanted to start sales of its merchandise, furniture, fixtures and equipment as soon as possible so it can “maximize” benefits for its stakeholders.

The liquidation sales will only occur at the 59 stores that are set for closure. They will begin Friday and run until Oct. 12, with the majority to be overseen by a third-party liquidator.

Current employees in the stores pegged for liquidation will be asked to stay on the job until the sales are complete and the locations are shut down.

The beleaguered department store owner has been operating under court protection from creditors since June 22 when it announced its plan to shutter 59 stores and cut approximately 2,900 jobs.

[HelloKitty]

If the NAFTA renegotiation is successful at raising the limit of the cost of goods that can be shipped to Canada from the US from $20 to $800...

Trump's biggest gift to Canadian consumers is lifting the so-called "de minimis" rate, raising the amount that can be shipped to Canada to $800 from $20 before online shoppers get dinged for duties. It would help promote the free flow of trade by popular services like Amazon or eBay.

I wonder if Canadian retailers (the big box ones especially) then would lower their prices to compete? The increase of the limit is good for us Canadian consumers but bad news for Canadian retailers. On the other hand, big box retailers do run regular sales already anyway... with cost/prices comparable to amazon's.

[HelloKitty]

Muji is like an "upscaled" dollar store... no branding visible on its items.. clean and simple designs.. Somewhat minimalist.

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by Max.

No. Uniqlo is a fast fashion brand such as H&M but with a little bit better quality and simpler design. MUJI means "brandless high quality goods" and it is a life-style concept store, which offer a wide range of products from stationery to suitcase.

Umm Uniqlo = Old Navy but slightly better quality. They are a commodity retailer and not fast fashion....

Aka they have tables that are 20 feet long and only have one style of sweater but it comes in like 6 colors.

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by ryanmaccdn

Umm Uniqlo = Old Navy but slightly better quality. They are a commodity retailer and not fast fashion....

Aka they have tables that are 20 feet long and only have one style of sweater but it comes in like 6 colors.

Agreed, not fast-fashion at all, timeless simple stuff. I have a few items from Uniqlo purchased in London in 2013 and Bangkok in 2012, still wearing them, super well-made too.

[SpongeG]

The first time I went to Muji in 2002 they barely sold clothes, when i went in 2015 they had a much larger clothing section, the clothes are were pretty grey and basic just what one would expect from muji. As others have said its basically a japanese dollar store but its not cheap.

Uniqlo is good, nothing exciting, pretty good for basics. Quality is ok, the socks i have didn't last that long however.

uniqlo - clothing store


muji - fancy dollar store, furniture, household items, small electronics, great storage, great stationary, clothes, bags, etc.

[HelloKitty]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

If the NAFTA renegotiation is successful at raising the limit of the cost of goods that can be shipped to Canada from the US from $20 to $800...

I wonder if Canadian retailers (the big box ones especially) then would lower their prices to compete? The increase of the limit is good for us Canadian consumers but bad news for Canadian retailers. On the other hand, big box retailers do run regular sales already anyway... with cost/prices comparable to amazon's.

Some more info if the limit gets raised...
Trump asked Ottawa to drop duties on e-commerce under NAFTA. Canadians should cheer, say experts

Revised NAFTA might make U.S. items cheaper for Canadian online shoppers

Canadian retailers worry as Trump eyes duty-free goods increase in NAFTA talks

[bjan]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

Some more info if the limit gets raised...
Trump asked Ottawa to drop duties on e-commerce under NAFTA. Canadians should cheer, say experts

Revised NAFTA might make U.S. items cheaper for Canadian online shoppers

Canadian retailers worry as Trump eyes duty-free goods increase in NAFTA talks

What does any of the above have to do with developments in Metro Vancouver's retail marketplace?

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by bjan

What does any of the above have to do with developments in Metro Vancouver's retail marketplace?

I'd say quite a lot.

The cheaper and easier online shopping is the harder it is for retail. On an individual purchase basis, it is normally cheaper (though not on all goods) for a Canadian purchaser to buy from the United States thanks to a little thing called economies of scale. Thanks to that same little thing, goods and the infrastructure associated with selling those goods, generally cost more in Canada.

Therefore those links have EVERYTHING to do with the Vancouver marketplace.

[Tetsuo]

A bunch of people shop online from sites outside Canada, only to be hit with a notice from DHL/UPS stating the need to pay ridiculous import fees.

[sacrifice333]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

A bunch of people shop online from sites outside Canada, only to be hit with a notice from DHL/UPS stating the need to pay ridiculous import fees.

Indeed, but there are more and more sites using Canada Post's Borderfree service where all duties and imports are calculated at shipping. And there's certainly a few people that use various shipping companies in border towns to receive their packages.

The linked articles though are pointing to potential reductions in import fees and duties.

[SpongeG]

It will also make cross border shopping more appealing, it may impact the mail box companies in blaine if anything, if people can get the goods shipped to their home easier that would make trips down less though

[Tetsuo]

Reading about Champlain Mall on a Reddit thread, does anyone else have information on this mall, I only remember parts of it during the 90's not transit friendly so never went.


I do remember the carnival and garbage dump way back then

[SpongeG]

I don't think its a mall anymore. it's now called Champlain Square and is more of an outdoor plaza strip mall kinda place. If we are thinking of the same place...

http://champlainsquare.ca

[connect2source]

It was 32 store enclosed-mall anchored by The Bay ( now Hudson's Bay ) and Super-Valu when it opened in 1973.

http://www.vancouversun.com/This+his...491/story.html

[SpongeG]

Yea i remember the mall with the bay. I think the bay closed when they took over at oakridge.