By Mario Toneguzzi

The mission statement of Canada Computers & Electronics is quite simple.

The retailer is dedicated to offering the best technology, advice, and service that enhances peoples’ lives.

And it has been doing that since it was first founded in 1991 as a retailer of personal computers, IT, and components, as well as consumer electronics.

Over its 28-year history, it continues to provide customers with the best products at the best value that the computer retail world can offer.

*Entrance the new Halifax store,* *which was featured today in a separate article. Photo: Canada Computers & Electronics*

“We want to be the destination for Canadians that really want to experience the best that we have to offer with obviously a focus on the gaming clientele that’s growing - that’s a growth category for us as well as computer peripherals, hardware and attachments and accessories. And by extension the electronics includes other categories that we are definitely showcasing in some of our larger format stores such as televisions to the smart phone area,” said Arun Sharma, the retailer’s Director of Retail Operations.

Nick Lemieux, Director of Category Management, said the company is most well-known for being in the IT space specifically computer components - everything for a consumer to build their own PC. Notebooks, Desktops, Monitors, Printers, and all the peripherals that support the category.

“Consumer electronics I would say we are a little less known for, but we do carry a full gamut of all the popular categories - televisions, and audio, smart home just to name a few,” said Lemieux.

The first Canada Computers location established itself in the heart of Kingston, Ontario, with an initial vision of providing high-quality products for university students, at a student-friendly price.

The retailer does custom built PCs and has its own pre-built house brand computer system and in-house brand iCAN (brand features: office furniture, cables, keyboards, mouse pads, household appliances, etc.)

“A customer can come into Canada Computers and custom order their perfect desktop experience whether it be one for gaming or one for their offices. We can build that system from scratch and we have cases and parts that range in the hundreds to the thousands,” said Sharma.

“And we’re very proud to be able to customize that for our customers.”

Today, the company has 37 locations - five in British Columbia, one in Nova Scotia, five in Quebec, and 26 in Ontario.

Upcoming stores will be in Cambridge and Oakville, Ontario next year.

“We do have an aggressive road map ahead for the next year as well to expand our store network,” said Sharma, adding the company should be up to more than 40 stores next year as it is also looking at different locations in Quebec and possible expansion into Atlantic Canada. “Also, we want to expand our service providing under tech care to reach both the home as well as small businesses.

Inside Canada Computers & Electronics’ first store in Nova Scotia, located in Halifax. Photo: Canada Computers & Electronics

“One of the most important initiatives that we were able to launch this year was putting our strategic focus combined with the customer voice under our campaign called ‘Your Voice. We deliver’ where some of the strategic decisions that we’ve made have been based on what the customers have asked us to do.”

Dean Grey, Director of Corporate Sales, said the retailer’s business to business operation is operating in a call centre environment and that has been experiencing exponential growth this year.

“We’re probably going to triple in size in the next year,” he said.

Canada’s Computers & Electronics is a trailblazing force with more than 800 employees and Sharma said one of the key differentiators for the retailer compared to competitors is its knowledgeable staff.

“We have the most knowledgeable workforce within the Canadian space. The customers recognize our employee knowledge to be a top in class,” he said.

“The second thing is the experience we create for the customers in the store to be able to try some very new cutting-edge technology that they won’t be able to try at any of our competition.”

That knowledgeable staff will be in full force on Black Friday with stores opening early to meet the huge consumer throng looking for the best deals when it comes to computers and electronics.

“We’ll have generally best prices of the year on pretty much most of the items that we’ll be featuring. We’re focusing on the best brands - the items that Canadians want and then offering them really great deals at the same time,” said Lemieux.

The Black Friday event, which began in the United States, has had a huge spillover into Canada with all key retailers in the computer and electronics space participating aggressively during this time.

“Customers have come to expect really great deals and that this is the time to buy,” he said.

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Mario Toneguzzi, based in Calgary has 37 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald covering sports, crime, politics, health, city and breaking news, and business. For 12 years as a business writer, his main beats were commercial and residential real estate, retail, small business and general economic news. He nows works on his own as a freelance writer and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Email: mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com

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