Bensadoun School of Retail Management - BSRM News

One year in, Montreal’s luxury-focused Royalmount mall is still seeking its sweet spot

91�� — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:05:48 +0000

It has been one year since the Royalmount Mall opened its doors, with a goal of transforming luxury retail in Montreal. The gleaming concourses of the upscale shopping centre are often largely empty, but that isn’t necessarily a sign that Royalmount won’t do well in the long run, according to Charles de Brabant, the Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management.

SSENSE bankruptcy could be harbinger of trouble for Canadian retailers

91�� — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:04:06 +0000

On August 29, the United States ended the de miminis exemption, a rule that had allowed small value shipments to cross the border without duties for decades. It’s already affecting some retailers in Canada. The Montreal-based luxury fashion retailer SSENSE filed for bankruptcy the same day the de minimis rule was changed, and cited the change as a reason that it did. As recently as 2021, the company was valued at $4 billion by Sequoia Capital, a U.S. venture capital firm.

Businesses need to adapt to change to grow

91�� — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:21:07 +0000

For Quebec, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are an engine of economic growth. Many SMEs have grown into prosperous companies, writes Bensadoun School in Retail Management student William Bernasconi in an article for the Conseil québecois du commerce de detail. But it’s important to consider failures as well as successes. And local businesses have often struggled to grow because of operational constraints, shifting consumer behaviour, and intense competition.

Mid-market brands to benefit from consumers’ renewed focus on the basics

91�� — Wed, 21 May 2025 19:39:28 +0000

2024 was a rough year for retail in Canada, and 2025 doesn’t look much better, writes Charles de Brabant in Retail Insider. The Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management noted that the combination of high interest rates and high inflation has taken a toll on consumer pocketbooks, and they are expected to focus on the basics this year. That plays well for mid-market brands.

MMR students explore retail innovation in Dubai

91�� — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 16:38:58 +0000

In March 2025, students in the Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) program at 91�� Desautels, took part in a week-long study trip to Dubai, to explore one of the world’s most dynamic retail hubs.

The itinerary included meetings with industry leaders from Dubai Economy and Tourism, Huda Beauty, Apparel Group, Kitopi, DAMAC, Carrefour, and Majid Al Futtaim Group. Students gained firsthand insights into retail innovation, digital strategy, localization, and customer experience.

Tariff-induced economic uncertainty is affecting Canadians’ purchasing decisions

91�� — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:38:04 +0000

Even as the venerable Hudson’s Bay Company liquidates its iconic department stores, some Canadian retailers are experiencing a renaissance. Quebec department store has been expanding, even as others struggle to stay in the black. But Trump’s tariffs are clouding the future for Canadian retailers.

Identifying tariffed products could be seen as attempt to mask increased margins

91�� — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:03:24 +0000

Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, frequent tariff threats have disrupted the economy. It is difficult to keep track of which products will be tariffed, when they will be tariffed, and how much they will be tariffed by. But Provigo stores in Quebec are taking steps that will help shoppers understand the factors that affect the price of their groceries. They are developing signage that will mark tariffed items with a “T” to explain price hikes.

Meet the winning teams of our Retail Gen AI Hackathon

91�� — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 14:45:28 +0000

Congratulations to our winning teams of the Bensadoun School’s 2^nd annual Retail Gen AI Hackathon.

We had 38 student teams register representing diverse faculties across 91��. Over two days, 10 finalist teams hacked creative Gen AI solutions for our title sponsor ALDO Group.

Each team had an AWS mentor and access to support from IVADO Labs and DataSphere Lab team members.

Participate in the Fall 2023 edition of the Retail Gen AI Hackathon

91�� — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:22:07 +0000

October 5-13, 2023

Want to work collaboratively in a fun yet competitive environment to develop innovative generative AI solutions for the ALDO Group’s Data & Analytics Corporate Team?

This first edition of the Retail Gen AI Hackathon, powered by ALDO Group, is a unique opportunity to work on a real-life problem, develop a solution in a fast-paced environment, and learn how AI and data analytics can help retailers make better data-driven decisions within their operations.

Bensadoun School receives $5M in provincial funding for retail innovation

91�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:24:02 +0000

The Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation has awarded the Bensadoun School of Retail Management with $5 million in funding over the next four years. According to Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, a significant portion of the funds will support the Bensadoun School’s retail innovation lab. Unveiled earlier this year, the live laboratory store is designed to provide insights that will help accelerate Quebec retailers along the path of digital transformation.

91�� and Alimentation Couche-Tard launch unique laboratory store to propel retail industry and customers into the future

91�� — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 20:41:49 +0000

Partnering with Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the new retail innovation lab at 91��’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management will enable ground-breaking research and test innovations, including frictionless technologies