Giant Tiger Launches 3 New Children's Lines [With Video]

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Photo: Giant Tiger

Ottawa-based discount retailer Giant Tiger has launched three new children's clothing lines in anticipation of a busy back to school shopping season. The retailer also recently launched two womenswear lines as part of an effort to enhance the shopping experience for busy Canadians seeking out bargains. Giant Tiger's growth strategy will see the retailer open between 10 and 15 stores per year, and adding exclusive fashion lines will help it continue to gain consumer loyalty. 

"As a proud Canadian retailer, we have developed our three new brands to meet the needs of Canadian kids and families," explains Brian Hession, Vice President Softgoods & Footwear Buying, Giant Tiger Stores Limited. "These fashionable collections are designed to be versatile and stand up to the wear that naturally occurs with kids clothing. From our $4 mix and match separates program to our $8 durable denim program, we have worked to create on-trend items at price points that are in keeping with Giant Tiger's low price philosophy." 

The new children's lines include: Monkey Bars for girls and boys sizes 2-6X; Bella & Birdie for girls sizes 7–14; and Survival Gear for boys sizes 8-16.

The three brands have their own unique personalities, each reflected in the styling and assortment. Monkey Bars is "energetic and fun, perfect for playdates to preschool", while Bella & Birdie "is all about confident and cool girls who are ready to explore their inner fashionista", according to Giant Tiger. The "Survival Gear boy is fun, fearless and always up for adventure" the retailer says, all featuring quality fabrication, stylish designs and affordable prices.

As part of the launch of the kids' lines, Giant Tiger is introducing the Happiness Guarantee. Karen Sterling, Vice President of Marketing, said: "We listened to our moms and created our 'Happiness Guarantee' which is designed to create a completely risk-free shopping experience for parents. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return it along with the receipt for a full refund, no time limit. It's that easy. Our goal this back to school season is to not just help moms survive back to school but to succeed at it!"

The 2016 back to school shopping season is expected to be a busy one, with sales anticipated to be 4.5% higher than last year. 

Retail expert Farla Efros, President of leading consultancy HRC Advisory, explained how Giant Tiger is a Canadian icon that appeals to a broad demographic, particularly families with children. She said that given the economic volatility and uncertainty in this country, Canadians are becoming more price conscious and that the launch of these value-priced fashion lines is timely, given the imminent back-to-school season. With busy parents filling their lists, Giant Tiger will continue to offer a "one stop shop" for parents seeking out value-priced clothing that kids will quickly grow out of. Ms Efros thinks that the new fashion lines deserve an "A+" grade, and that they will help further build momentum for an already wildly successful retailer.

Photo: Giant Tiger

Last month, Giant Tiger's vice president of Marketing, Karen Sterling, said that the retailer will continue with plans to open between 10 and 15 Canadian stores annually, doing so primarily with a franchise model that sees partnerships with successful retail merchants who can aspire to become franchisees in their communities. Franchisees are already a part of the community, allowing Giant Tiger to operate as a "living, breathing part of the community" which includes investing in the local community both with fundraising and sponsorships, she explained. 

Giant Tiger has also been rolling out an updated store concept to enhance the shopping experience, as well as provide convenience for time-starved consumers. The core client is a 25 to 50 year old female, partnered and possibly with children, seeking out both value as well as time savings in a 'one-stop' shopping experience with an optimal value proposition. 

This spring, Giant Tiger expanded operations by launching three value-priced women's fashion lines -- Lily Morgan™, myStyle™ and the updated ACX Active™. The company also launched its first TV/print/online ad campaign as part of the initiative, which includes a body-positive image for its female shoppers. The fashion lines are already proving to be very popular, according to Giant Tiger, further expanding its already loyal customer following. 

Giant Tiger was founded in 1961 in Ottawa's Byward Market area, and has since grown to operate 218 Canadian stores and employs over 7,000 employees, or 'team members'. Stores carry categories such as family fashions, footwear, groceries, confectionary, pet food, cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, toys, and health/beauty products. The company's strategy involves striving to lower prices through continued improvements to efficiency while maximizing buying power through economies of scale, as well as increasing market share in existing markets by modifying stores and assortment, based on local needs. The company continues to seek out new markets to further increase revenues via well-researched and planned expansion that involves opening new store locations.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: August 18, 2016