Canada Post unveils E-commerce Innovation Awards finalists

OTTAWA, Sept. 20, 2012 /CNW/ - The 14 diverse companies named today as finalists in the Canada Post E-commerce Innovation Awards demonstrate why online shopping is the country's fastest-growing retail sector.

The finalists include:

• the dynamic start-up that launched the first QR code virtual store in North America;
• an eyewear retailer with a compelling campaign aimed at encouraging their customers to tell their friends;
• a designer-dress rental service that helps Canadian women look fabulous wherever they live;
• a business that allows Canadians to "cash in their closets" and another that lets them sell, buy or donate unused gift cards;
• and established retailers that combined the latest mobile tablet and smartphone technology to integrate the online and in-store shopping experiences, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.

"Large or small, well-established or barely out of their basements, these finalists are leaders in giving Canadian consumers what they want and providing an impressive customer experience," says Deepak Chopra, President and CEO of Canada Post. "We're excited to honour them, and to be driving our own innovations at Canada Post that will strengthen our role as key enablers of e-commerce."

The finalists are competing in several categories with a prize package that totals approximately $1 million in shipping and Direct Marketing services, and marketing exposure on Canada Post's website, buildings and trucks. The winners will be chosen by an expert panel of judges and announced at a gala event on Tuesday, October 16 at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto.

As the country's home delivery company, Canada Post is the market-share leader in Canada's business-to-consumer (B2C) shipping market. An estimated $8 billion worth of physical goods is ordered online in Canada each year for residential deliveries, and that figure is forecasted to grow to more than $15 billion by 2016. Total expenditures on Canadian e-commerce business-to-consumer shipping services alone were more than $600 million in 2011.

The finalists are:

Best Multi-channel Retailer of the Year - Large

• Future Shop (Burnaby, B.C.)
• Mountain Equipment Co-op (Vancouver, B.C.)
• Indigo Books & Music Inc. (Toronto, Ont.)

Best Multi-channel Retailer of the Year - Small

• Rent frock Repeat (Toronto, Ont.)
• Milsig Paintball Canada Ltd. (Richmond, B.C.)
• Hockey Supremacy (Candiac, Que.)

Best Online Retailer of the Year - Large

• Beyond the Rack (Montréal, Que.)
• ClearlyContacts.ca (Vancouver, B.C.)
• Well.ca (Guelph, Ont.)

Best Online Retailer of the Year - Small

• BookMob (Ottawa, Ont.)
• CharmJunction.ca (Langley, B.C.)
• TREND TRUNK (Hamilton, Ont.)

Best New e-Business

• ShirtPunch (Whitby, Ont.)
• CardSwap Inc. (Toronto, Ont.)
• TREND TRUNK (Hamilton, Ont.)

About Us
Canada Post is the country's leading provider of business-to-consumer delivery. By reaching more than 15.1 million addresses, and operating the country's largest retail network, with nearly 6,500 post offices, Canada Post is ideally positioned to offer affordable and reliable service, with convenient pick-up and return options. Together, Canada Post, Purolator Inc. (Canada's largest logistics company) and SCI Logistics offer market-leading end-to-end solutions for e-commerce shippers by leveraging the assets and expertise of the Canada Post Group of Companies.

SOURCE: Canada Post

For further information:

Media Relations
613 734-8888
[email protected]