The gesture is historic. At the initiative of the Metropolitan Fashion Cluster (mmode) , some sixty Quebec brands are joining forces to boost online sales. We discuss this with Jackie Tardif, president of Reitmans .

The mobilization takes the form of a free delivery campaign, from February 1 to 7, offered by 63 participating Quebec brands. “The Quebec fashion industry is in crisis,” recalls Jackie Tardif. “Even though we are competitors, we have chosen to unite in the face of adversity, because we believe that together, we are stronger.”

The ModeQc21 campaign has three objectives, explains the president of Reitmans. “We want to thank the customers who support us and have remained loyal since the beginning of the pandemic. We also want to encourage local shopping and raise awareness of the delicate situation retailers are currently in.”

Raising awareness among the general public, but also the government, which announced this week that stores would reopen on February 8. Through this offensive, the major players in the industry are reminding us that they have put everything in place to comply with public health measures and that a safe reopening is possible.

Safe from creditors

Since the start of the pandemic, several Quebec retailers have sought shelter from their creditors. This is the case of Reitmans Canada, which is restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). "The business model of most Quebec fashion retailers is built on physical stores, supplemented by online channels. After the stores closed during the first and second waves, revenues plummeted because competition is very strong on the Web. The losses are not only financial, but human since several people in the industry have lost their jobs temporarily or permanently." [In June 2020, Reitmans cut 1,400 jobs and closed its Thyme Maternity and Addition Elle banners].

Inventory management is another major challenge, as unsold seasonal products will need to be sold at significant price reductions.

The enhanced online experience

The solution for many large banners like Reitmans was to personalize the online experience. “We became more receptive and empathetic to our customers,” says Tardif. “Instead of focusing on products and trends, we focused more on our customers’ lifestyles and what they were going through during this time.”

The efforts are paying off: the retailer's online sales have doubled. And the Reitmans banner came in first place for online customer experience in the Clothing category according to Léger's WOW study, which surveyed 14,000 Canadians aged 15 and over who had visited at least one website or app recently.

"Many Quebecers do not know that our three brands Reitmans, RW&CO and Penningtons are Quebecois. The company was founded in 1926 by the Reitmans family. In almost 100 years, we have experienced several crises, transitions and transformations. We are confident that we will recover with our three renowned brands, our talented teams and a restructuring plan under the CCAA that will ensure our profitability."

If all goes as planned, spring and summer will bring happier and, above all, less restrictive days, which will allow Quebec retailers to sell their seasonal collections normally, both in stores and online.

Discover the brands participating in the MODEQC21 campaign, which offers free delivery, by clicking here .