Outlet Malls are finally coming to Canada - The race is on
Three developers are bringing Outlet Malls to Canada on the fringes of Toronto and Montreal. Given that Canadian shoppers and snowbirds have been flocking to U.S. outlet malls for years, and have upped their visits with the rise of the loonie, the only question about the groundswell of domestic interest in this retail segment is: What took so long? Both Premium and Tanger, very successful developers in the U.S. have entered into agreements to develop the outlets. Something Canada hasn't seen yet. The winners of the sprint for sites and tenants will be resolved within the next two or three years, playing out against a backdrop of broad change in the Canadian retail scene. (Source canadianbusiness.com)

RCMP warn shoppers about counterfeit goods    Manitoba RCMP say they have seized $500,000 in counterfeit goods so far this year, up $200,000 from last year. Police say criminals involved in intellectual property crime — copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting — range from organized crime groups to small-scale retailers who sell small quantities of counterfeit goods to supplement their income. "Many people are also unaware that buying these cheap knock-offs could mean they are inadvertently supporting organized crime or other types of criminality," the RCMP release stated. (Source cbc.ca)

Black Friday, Cyber Monday spending spikes up in Canada with the two shopping days becoming a mainstay.    The specialty retail category saw the largest increase, 15%, in dollars spend on Black Friday. Within that category, radios, televisions and stereos were the most popular choices with spending up 22%. Clothing sales rose 13% compared to the day last year. Apparel sales led the way on Cyber Monday, with spending growth up 77%, followed by specialty retail, with 45% growth. And online shoe sales skyrocketed 112% compared to 2011. (Source obj.ca)

Retail industry is Canada’s productivity "bright spot": report
Retailers can give themselves a pat on the back this week. According to a recent report from Deloitte, the industry has become the "illuminating bright spot, and the most significant contributor to narrowing the gap in productivity growth [in Canada] since 2000." The number of U.S. retailers jumped by 28 percentage points between 1985 and 2002, forcing Canadian companies to invest in technology, improve their supply chain and training programs, revamp their stores and adopt global best practices. Retail’s impressive numbers are a result of a lack of government protection and the constant threat of going under, according to co-author of the Deloitte report Bill Currie. Sounds like retailers in the U.S. as well. (Source canadiangrocer.com)

Windsor, On., police increase presence at Devonshire Mall for holidays
In Windsor, police say they're prepared to give local retailers what they need in an effort to stop shoplifting. (Source cbc.ca)

Seaway Mall security called into question after child abduction
Mall security training and procedures being called into question following an attempted abduction at the Seaway Mall in Welland, Canada Sunday. The father turned over the man to Zeller’s management who escorted him out to the parking lot after he had stopped the man from pulling his five year-old son away from his mother. Police later caught up with and arrested a suspect. Mall Security Expert David Hyde says while it's unusual, this incident does show it can happen. He says the majority of mall security are very well trained and professional with protocol in place to deal with these situations. Hyde says the discussion of replacing mall security with police is a long running discussion, but comes down to limited recourses. (Source privateofficerbreakingnews.com)