“Click and collect” retailers are boosting demand in Calgary’s surprising tight retail sector, which will see nearly 500,000 square feet of new space added this year.
Approximately six million square feet of retail is also under construction from the downtown to the northern and southern suburbs.
Many retailers have started adopting more online marketing and purchasing strategies in order to augment sales at brick-and-mortar outlets, an analyst noted.
“Some large-format retailers have adjusted their push-marketing and service-based strategies to facilitate those customers looking to save time through click and collect outlets,” said Nathaniel Sterzik, leasing and sales associate for Barclary Street Real Estate.
“These have indeed become far more common, and a great example of a recent entry to this segment is Loblaws, with their click and collect service for groceries. This continues to draw traffic into the stores themselves, where customers can pick up their online orders as well as fill in any potential gaps in their list while there.”
Calgary’s retail vacancy rate, at 3.4 per cent, remains one of the lowest in North America despite being at an all-time high for the city.
