In a recent Globe & Mail article (What Keeps online retail in Canada from clicking? ) there were plenty of great observations made about the arrested state of Canadian businesses and their lack of commitment to having good online store where consumers can buy their products. The line that resonated most was the following:

“Canadian online retail, in short, looks a lot like Canadian retail did 20 years ago: unimpressive, outdated and at threat of being thrashed by American retailers – many of which are already making steady progress in better serving this market.”

My own personal observation is that almost everybody I know is buying something online, ranging from shoes, luggage to sports equipment. The sad part, however, at least for Canadian businesses is that almost all of their purchases are being made via U.S online businesses. Try it out for yourself. Ask a friend when the last time was they bought something online from a Canadian company. Moreover, when was the last time you heard a friend rave about the great deal they got from so-and-so company based in Calgary (or anywhere in Canada for that matter) and how the price was great, the delivery was free…and it arrived in less than five days? I know…probably never.

With the advent of new companies like www.shop.ca into the Canadian marketplace, maybe it’s time to start thinking seriously about what your business can achieve by taking a more seriously look at online e-commerce.