TikTok’s Economic Impact in Canada
article by Retail Insider, June 30 2025
TikTok has released its “The Economic Impact of TikTok in Canada,” developed by consulting firm Nordicity, which quantifies the economic impact of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that use TikTok to reach audiences in Canada and globally from 2019-2024.
It said it not only delivers entertainment – it powers economic growth for 613,000 Canadian small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) using the platform, and the Canadian economy at large.
The social media platform said it has emerged as a platform where Canadian entrepreneurs are finding new customers, and financial success can be unlocked.
Nordicity, a leading international consulting firm providing economic analysis, estimates that in 2024 alone, the platform supported a combined total of $2.3 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) for Canada and the equivalent of 19,250 full-time jobs (FTEs) across its operations and SMB activities on the platform.
Read MoreWhat is AI Inventory Management? Benefits and Challenges
article by Shopify, June 30 2025
When human writing was developed around 3200 B.C.E., it often was used to document item counts, like barley or sheep, or track the receipt and payment of goods and services. Essentially, it was a way to manage inventory.
Inventory management techniques began including mechanical automation in the early 1900s to make the process faster and more accurate. Turn-of-the-century tracking methods moved from pencil and paper to punch cards and tabulator machines. By the 1980s, computers with spreadsheet software had brought inventory tracking into the digital sphere.
The workflow has only gotten more sophisticated—and more automated—from there, as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integrate business processes further.
Continue ReadingFrom Cheques to Biometrics, How We Pay Continues to Evolve
article by Retail Insider, June 24, 2025
The way we pay has undergone a dramatic transformation. We’ve gone from waiting for cheques to clear to the now-familiar tap of your card, phone or watch to instantly pay for your purchases. This evolution has been driven by a relentless pursuit of convenience, speed and security. From chip technology to AI powered cybersecurity, Mastercard has always been at the forefront of this evolution, pioneering innovations that have reshaped commerce and empowered consumers and businesses worldwide.
Of course, this shift didn’t happen overnight. The cards in our wallet went from imprint machines to magnetic stripes. This step revolutionized transactions, making payments faster not just for consumers, but it dramatically reduced the amount of time businesses had to wait for payments to go through.
Security concerns led to the development of chip technology, which added an extra layer of protection against fraud. Then came tap, a truly contactless payment experience that has essentially eliminated the need to physically swipe or insert your card, making transactions even faster and more convenient.
Continue Reading23 Ways to Build a Strong Online Presence in 2025
article by LocaliQ, June 23, 2025
A strong online presence for your business is no longer optional. Why? Because 87% of people say they start their search for products online. And 97% say they go online to find local businesses.
But here’s the thing: the way people connect with brands and seek solutions has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. Now, people use social media like a search engine and ask AI chatbots for recommendations and advice.
All these new connection points create a multitude of opportunities for any business willing to reevaluate how it grows its online presence. And we’re going to show you exactly how to take advantage of them so you’re everywhere online your customers need you to be.
Continue ReadingCybersecurity Threat Actor Scattered Spider Attacks Retail Sector
article by Retail Council of Canada, June 23, 2025
Based on recent public reporting and Mandiant internal investigations, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has observed a resurgence of UNC3944 with targeting of retailers in the US and UK among other targets. While these activities have been predominantly focused on the US and UK, UNC3944 has a history of targeting Canadian organizations, indicating that retailer entities in Canada remain at risk. It is plausible that threat actors including UNC3944 view retail organizations as attractive targets, given that they typically possess large quantities of personally identifiable information (PII) and financial data.
Continue ReadingHow Augmented Reality is Powering Scalable, Self-Sufficient Retail Training
article by RSPA, June 9, 2025
In today’s fast-moving retail environment, technology is constantly evolving and can pose challenges to the workforce. While the complexity of in-store technology continues to increase with solutions ranging from self-checkout systems to digital signage, the approach to training often hasn’t.
The traditional, manual-heavy training model no longer serves the modern needs of retailers, partners, or the technology vendors supporting them. As retail businesses face increasing pressure to scale operations, reduce support costs, and combat labor shortages, one solution is rising to meet the challenge: training powered by augmented reality (AR).
The Changing Face of Retail Labor
Turnover is one of the retail industry’s most consistent hurdles. Store associates, frontline managers, and even service technicians often come and go before fully mastering the systems they’re meant to support. This knowledge gap for ISVs and technology providers usually translates into longer deployment times, more service calls, and strained client relationships.