Study: Year-end review of retail sales and competition for market share
2006
Canada’s retailers enjoyed healthy growth rates in all major commodity groups in 2006, and in fact, total sales matched the peak year-over-year gain of the last nine years, according to a new study.
However, retailers, many of whom have […]

There’s more than meets the eye to a good sign.
First you need to consider the location of your sign. Ask these types of questions.
Will your sign be over your door or out on the street?
+ A sign over your door might only need to a have your logo and the name of your business
+ A […]

TQM - Total Quality Management was a concept touted by Management Guru’s in the early 90’s as a way of ensuring that every part of the organization is striving for excellence.
I was fortunate enough to be part of a TQM implementation while in the restaurant industry in 1994. I say fortunate, because there […]

Want up-to-date information about what’s going on in the retail and restaurant industries?
Just log into Zata and you’ll get the most recent Industry Averages.
Restaurant Industry Average

Use it as an overview of what’s happening in the restaurant business.
This past weekend I spoke with a manager of a pizza outlet. When […]

Study: A review of retail trade in the provinces
2006
Canada’s retailers had their busiest year in nearly a decade in 2006, and it was consumers in the three westernmost provinces who increased their spending the most, according to a new study.
Retailers sold $389.6 billion worth of goods and services in […]

Retail trade
April 2007
Total retail sales increased moderately in April on the strength of new car dealers’ sales. Excluding new, used and recreational vehicles and parts dealers, retail sales were flat.
Retail sales advanced 0.4% in April to an estimated $34.1 billion. This moderate growth was the third monthly increase in […]

Retail trade
March 2007
Retail sales surged in March, resulting in a strong first quarter. March’s gains were widespread with seven of eight retail sectors posting sales increases.
After two months of little change in sales growth, total retail sales rose 1.9% in March to an estimated $34.0 billion. The latest monthly […]

On Sunday, April 22nd, let’s celebrate Earth Day by acknowledging good news stories about going green.
1. Recognize the responsibility
From small companies to multinationals, experience is proving that social and environmental policies can drive brand recognition, customer engagement, and shareholder value. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is really about good business practices, optimizing your resources and listening to […]

Week over week changes in sales as reported by Zata participants.
BC Restaurants: Up 3.3%
BC Retail Stores: Down 6.4%
Stop guessing how you’re doing and find out. Zata compares your sales and costs to other businesses in your market. Sign up today at www.myzata.com.

There are 6 templates that were identified by researchers at the University of Jerusalem. Click on the links to get more detailed explanations and examples.
1. Pictorial Analogy: Substitute another item in place of your product (or service) to create an unexpected explanation of the value of your product.
2. Extreme Situations: Show your products […]