With 1,500 Zellers workers in 12 stores in Ontario ratifying a new, three-year union agreement they're now launching a battle with Target, who's buying some of their stores. Four of the Zellers stores covered by the collective agreement will be converting to Target, according to United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Local 175, which said it is “challenging Target to abide by all provisions of the new collective agreement.” And with Target operating as a non-union company this may be a battle. UFCW Canada is a partner in a campaign asking Target to guarantee that Zellers workers will continue to be employed in their stores once the conversions have occurred, and that their working conditions and years of service will be honored by Target. The campaign’s website is targetfairness.ca. Years ago the union tried to organize Wal-Mart in Canada unsuccessfully with Wal-Mart literally shutting the store down. (Source supermarketnews.com)

Wal-Mart's #1 Asset Protection position remains open after their last Vice President Stephen O'Keefe left to join the Retail Council of Canada as Vice President.

Microsoft is looking at its first Canadian store and trying to play catch-up with Apple. With only 14 stores in the U.S., Microsoft is making a big push to expand its chain, emulating a strategy Apple tapped into more than a decade ago. Today, Apple runs more than 360 outlets globally – mostly in the U.S. Microsoft’s Canada store would be only its first outside the U.S. Apple stores to generate $4,000 in sales per square foot, roughly 10 times more than the average at U.S. malls, with some Apple stores believed to reach $6,500 per square foot. So the challenge for Microsoft is daunting. (Source theglobeandmail.com)

The Bay's 5'8" virtual greeter - a life like digital image projected on a glass tower in their flag ship store in Toronto - welcomes customers to its new interactive display of high-end gifts. Duane Read, drug stores - a division of Walgreens, rolled out their virtual greeter in NYC before the holidays and its spreading. The future is here and one day they'll appear right next to someone who's concealed merchandise asking if they can help them with that item. (Source theglobeandmail.com)