Canada’s business-to-consumer parcel delivery market is big now, and expected to get even bigger in the coming years, and the value of physical goods delivered to online shoppers in Canada is worth billions of dollars every year.
That’s why Canada Post is taking such an interest in online shopping, and why it is among many organizations that honour and celebrate the best in online shopping websites, campaigns and experiences available in this country.
Canada Post E-Commerce Awards
Canada Post created an annual event to build excitement around Canadian e-commerce, and supporting the retailers that are working hard to grow it through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Along with a panel of industry leaders recruited as contest judges, we can all vote for our favourite online retailer, who will receive the Consumer Champion Award based on the most online votes tallied at canadapost.ca/ecommerceawards.
More and more, e-retailers are paying as much attention to the look feel and functionality of their online shopping site as they do to a bricks-and-mortar outlet.
As much as good price and selection counts, successful online retailers know a good experience counts as well. Websites with easy-to-complete sign-up forms and simplified check-out processes are seen to bring back repeat customers more often. More product information, often presented in a custom-made streaming video, can help a discerning shopper make that final purchase decision.
And decide they do: Canadian companies had an online sales increase of almost 12% last year to $136-billion, according to a Statistics Canada report this week. According to another report, a younger and more tech-savvy audience is driving sales: 92% of consumers aged 18-34 years old have purchased online this year; 82% of those aged 35 to 54 years old, and 74% among those 55 years and older.
The e-Commerce chapter of the Ipsos Canadian Inter@ctive Reid Report also says that over eight in ten (82%) Canadian Internet users made a purchase online in the past year. The study also found that the average amount of reported spending annually for online purchases in Canada is $954.
So Canada Post’s interest is understandable, and possibly life-sustaining. In this year’s contest, Canada Post has unveiled a shortlist of 25 finalists in this, the third annual Canada Post E-commerce Innovation Awards.
Winners earn bragging rights, marketing and delivery service supports from Canada Post, as part of nearly $1 million in prizes.
Finalists are competing in seven e-commerce categories, recognizing the best shopping experiences, omni-channel integration, innovative start-up, customer experience, creativity and mobile experiences.
Winners will be chosen by a panel of industry experts: Kirstine Stewart, Managing Director of Twitter Canada; Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of the Retail Council of Canada; Duncan Payne, Hut2Hut Events President and DX3 co-founder; Rafe Petkovic, Google Canada Head of Industry (Retail); and Stéphane Ricoul, Sid Lee Director of Client Relations, eBusiness, and eComMTL founding President.
The Awards will be presented September 23, 2014.
The finalists are:
Best E-Commerce Shopping Experience
Best Omni-channel Integration
Most Innovative Start-Up
Best Customer/Community Outreach
Best Mobile Experience (Large)
Best Mobile Experience (Small)
Most Creative Marketing Campaign (Small)
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submitted by Lee Rickwood
