Staff Report
METROLAND MEDIA

Vast selection. Great prices. Free shipping. Easy returns.

Shop.ca, a new online marketplace, is promising Canadians a better way to shop on the internet.

Torstar, parent company of Metroland Media Group, publisher of the Brant News, has invested in the new site, which launched this spring.

“We are thrilled about our involvement in this exciting new venture as it will give our advertisers the potential to reach customers across Canada and our readers access to unique offers and products,” said Neil Oliver, vice president and regional publisher with Metroland West.

Shop.ca offers millions of products in categories such as clothing, house and home, baby and child, electronics, books and e-books, movies and music. All products are sold and shipped within Canada.

“When Canadians come to Shop.ca, it’s going to be about selection, service and rewards,” said CEO and founder Drew Green.

Shoppers can access customer service online or over the telephone and earn reward dollars by joining the site’s social network and sharing their shopping experiences.

Shop.ca will fill a gap in the Canadian retail landscape, said Don Tapscott, chair of the site’s board of advisors and a leading authority on media and the economic and social impact of technology.

Although Canadians are among the world’s top internet users, we’re lagging behind when it comes to buying and selling online, Tapscott said.

“Canadians love the internet, Canadians love to shop but, paradoxically, e-commerce has never really taken off in Canada and there’s a reason: the Canadian e-commerce experience is not a good one,” Tapscott said. “There are increased costs. There’s lack of choice. There’s awful shipping…and don’t even think about trying to return something across the U.S. border.”

Shop.ca will eliminate those hassles and make online shopping easier for Canadians, Green said. During a year-long development phase, the Shop.ca team worked closely with partners such as IBM and Bell to ensure the site’s platform is on the leading edge of e-commerce.

Shop.ca will also help local businesses access the Canadian online shopping market, where sales are expected to reach $33 billion by 2016. Retailers and manufacturers can use the site to sell their products on a cost-per-order basis to customers across town or across the country.

“Metroland has strong relationships with thousands of local businesses and we think Shop.ca will be an attractive way to support them in tapping into the growing trend of online shopping,” Metroland president Ian Oliver said.

Visit www.shop.ca for more information.

Online shopping in Canada

• In 2010, Canadians spent $18 billion online, 3.4 per cent of total retail spending. They spent $58 billion (11.3 per cent of retail) on items they researched online, but bought offline.

• By 2016, online shopping is expected to rise to $33 billion (5.3 per cent of retail).

• In 2010, e-commerce, including government spending, investment and consumption, accounted for three per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product, compared to an average of 4.1 per cent among G20 countries.

• By 2016, Canada is expected to lag further behind with e-commerce at 3.6 per cent of GDP versus a 5.3 per cent average in the G20.

Source: The Boston Consulting Group