Toronto Shopping – Chic Boutiques to Funky Finds

Whether you are browsing the chic Yorkville boutiques, digging through deals in Chinatown or discovering funky vintage finds in Kensington Market, Toronto shopping offers something for every type of shopper, from the most trend-savvy fashionista to the sharpest bargain hunter. Check out these popular Toronto shopping destinations and discover great areas of this amazing city at the same time!

Toronto Eaton Centre

Millions of shoppers every year make their way to the Toronto Eaton Centre, located at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets in the heart of downtown Toronto. There are more than two hundred shops and restaurants housed on the four levels of this glass-domed mall, ranging from upscale retailers A/X Armani Exchange and BCBG to mall favourites like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters. A tip for tourists: visit the Guest Service Info Desk on Level 2 for a free city map and brochures on local attractions.

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Bloor-Yorkville

The swanky Bloor-Yorkville shopping district is Toronto’s version of New York’s Fifth Avenue. The main shopping area on Bloor Street is lined with one chic designer boutique after another including Gucci, Prada, Chanel and Burberry. The historic Yorkville neighbourhood nestled between Yonge and Avenue Roads is also dotted with trendy shops such as Anthropologie, Jeanne Lottie and Vera Wang, as well as several funky bistros and bars. A tip for tourists visiting Toronto in September: this area is a celebrity hotspot during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Kensington Market and Chinatown

Seeking a more eclectic shopping experience? A must-see destination when visiting Toronto are the narrow streets of the Kensington Market neighbourhood- particularly for vintage lovers and bargain hunters. Tucked between College Street, Spadina Avenue and Dundas St. West, Kensington Market is home to several vintage shops including Courage My Love, Flashback and Exile as well as hipster favourite Bungalow, which features retro home decor pieces and a mix of new and vintage apparel.

Just steps from the Market stretching up and down Spadina between King and College Streets is Toronto’s vibrant Chinatown, which is lined with dozens of shops offering great deals on everything from clothing to housewares.

Queen Street West and West Queen West

The popular Queen Street West shopping area between Yonge Street and Bathurst Avenue is packed with a mix of funky shops like John Fluevog Shoes and trendsetter favourites H&M and Zara, as well as dozens of hip cafes, bars and bistros.

Head further west along Queen past Bathurst Street and the bigger retailers give way to an edgier collection of boutiques featuring cutting edge styles by local designers, as well several art galleries and furniture stores. This area from Bathurst to Gladstone Avenue, known as West Queen West, is Toronto’s Art and Design District and boasts the largest concentration of art galleries in Canada.

The Distillery District

Toronto is a city with a rich past, and a visit to the Distillery District offers visitors a taste of the city’s history as well as a unique collection of boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. Located east of the downtown core, whiskey production took place throughout the 19th century in the carefully restored distillery buildings, which now house some of the funkiest shopping in the city. From the stunning boutique Lileo with its organic lines and renowned denim collection to the popular foodie destination A Taste of Quebec which offers a delectable selection of artisan cheeses and other gourmet specialities, there is plenty of unique shopping to explore on the cobblestone streets of Toronto’s Distillery District.

St. Lawrence Market

Love shopping for food? St. Lawrence Market is a must-stop for foodies visiting Toronto. The Saturday Farmers’ Market in the North Market has been a city tradition since 1803, with vendors setting up at the crack of dawn to showcase their fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. The South Market features over 50 merchants renowned for their incredible array of meat, fish, baked goods, desserts and produce. Located west of Jarvis Street between King Street East and the Esplanade, St. Lawrence Market is easy to get to from downtown Toronto.

Fine art, funky fashion and fabulous food… you can find it all shopping in Toronto!

Toronto Shopping – Chic Boutiques to Funky Finds
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TorontoJourney.com will give you a comprehensive look at what’s available in such a incredible city – from hotels and restaurants to shopping and attractions. No matter what your taste, Toronto has something for everyone and is an fabulous place to shop.

Using Social Media to Increase Sales and Brand Awareness

Companies are continuously launching marketing campaigns in an effort to promote their brand and boost their sales. Some of these are highly successful – Carlsberg’s slogan and advertising of ‘probably the best lager in the world’ generates excellent brand awareness and reputation. This then contributes to increased sales and ultimately increased profits. However, many of these companies have large marketing and advertising budgets. What if your company can not afford these marketing initiatives? This is where Social media marketing comes in. Most social media marketing ‘tools’ are free to use and can provide the same amount of marketing exposure whether you are just starting out or are a giant conglomerate. This article explains how you can use social media marketing to increase sales at a relatively low cost.

Firstly, let’s just dispel the myth that social media marketing does not lead to a direct increase in sales. Here are some examples to prove this: Sony announced in February that through Twitter they had earned an extra £1million in sales, Dell announced in June last year that their presence on Twitter accounted for million dollars increase in sales. You might argue that these are two big companies and they already have a brand reputation. However, other smaller companies have also experienced increased sales through this form of marketing. John Fluevog Boots & Shoes Ltd, a small shoe making company in Canada, reported a 40% increase in sales in 2009, the same year it started social media marketing, this was not by chance.

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So how can social media marketing contribute to increased sales for your company? Social media tools allow you access to millions of people. A television advert will reach the people watching at that time and allows for no interaction with the consumer. One tweet can reach millions of people. Sainsbury’s for example regularly tweet their latest offers. Anyone wanting to keep up with these can simply follow Sainsbury’s on Twitter. This gives a much bigger potential customer base and allows for sales to increase, whilst also creating brand awareness. Furthermore, people can respond to these tweets, which provides a forum for customer interaction and thus customer insight. Your business can emulate this, tweeting your promotions provides free advertising. If this is done creatively, it really can boost sales and get your company noticed.

Social media marketing works in a similar way to other forms of marketing; it is viral. A small company initially works on a word of mouth basis, people tell their friends. This type of marketing, especially Twitter and Facebook, work with the ‘friend’ concept. People can give you positive reviews, recommend your product and tweet about your company. This whole social community allows your company’s name and brand to be viewed by a significant amount of people. Continuous use of social media over time creates brand awareness and thus helps to increase sales. One of our clients, PeachorLemon, a car review website, gained over one hundred followers on Twitter within a week. This is a hundred more people who know about promotions and offers, may tell their friends, visit the website or use other social media outlets to mention PeachorLemon. All this creates brand awareness and over time increased use of the website, thus increasing its value.

The effect social media can have on brand awareness is critical in the future of small businesses marketing strategy. Brand awareness is only one way in which sales are increased, there are many other important contributing factors. However, as this article has demonstrated, creating brand awareness through this new exiting variation of marketing can have a huge impact on your business and revenues.

Anthony O’Flynn

Using Social Media to Increase Sales and Brand Awareness
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Stylish Options For Vegan Footwear

As awareness of our effects on the natural world grows, many are searching for ways to lessen their impact on the environment. Some are choosing to wear vegan footwear to limit their environmental footprint. Veganism is an ethical lifestyle choice that has the practitioner refusing to exploit the animal kingdom in any way. Vegan shoes and vegan boots are free from any animal products such as leather that are often included in footwear. Manufactured in a variety of styles, vegan shoes and vegan boots are eco-friendly while remaining comfortable and durable. The vegan movement is an extension of the vegetarian lifestyle and the wearing of vegan shoes and vegan boots demonstrates a commitment to our planet and all of its inhabitants.

 

One footwear manufacturer that offers stylish vegan footwear is John Fluevog. Worn by many celebrities, Fluevog offers the environmentally conscious shopper some very fashionable vegan shoes and vegan boots. The D.O.G. Shawn are vegan boots that appears much like high top sneakers and retail for a reasonable price. For the ladies, Fluevog offers the Ida Clark which are vegan boots with a small heel that come in a variety of color combinations. The Armin are moccasin style vegan shoes from their Earth Angel collection that are available in both teal and moss colors. These earth friendly vegan shoes are completely made from non-toxic materials and parts. The glues that hold these vegan shoes together are water based and the latex soles come from a Hevea Tree and are biodegradable. Other vegan shoes are known as Radios and are manufactured in burgundy and faux brown leather as well as many other eye catching colors including a recently added line of plaids.

 

Another great source of vegan shoes and vegan boots is Planet Shoes. They carry a variety of popular brands including Patagonia and Dansko. The Patagonia line has introduced a number of vegan boots recently. The Fiona is made from recycled nylon that is water resistant and repellent. These vegan boots are designed to withstand tough winter walking and hiking. For the athletes they offer a line of vegan shoes called Earth Kinetic. These vegan shoes were voted number one by Consumer reports. They are designed for long distance walking or running and include reflective safety strips to ensure that exercising on dimly lit roads is not a problem for the wearer. They have a huge selection of styles and colors and they look similar to any other running shoe on the market. They are a good choice if you want to remain environmentally friendly but do not feel the need to project that stance with your clothing.

 

A great reason to choose to wear vegan shoes and vegan boots is that they serve as a fantastic way to introduce others into the lifestyle without seeming heavy handed. The concept of veganism can be difficult for some to understand and the wearing of this type of clothing can serve as a perfect ice breaker to introduce the topic. While many people are quite particular and protective over what they eat, many are less so about what they wear. By relying on footwear to introduce the topic of veganism, you are offering a simple and non-offensive way to get the information across. Non-leather shoes are both stylish and comfortable and all who see them will realize that the wearer is not sacrificing anything to live this lifestyle. While dietary changes can be difficult to make, changes in fashion can be far easier resulting in a healthier planet. You can change the perceptions others have about their relationship to the animal kingdom and this in turn could lead them to turn to more vegetarian selections in their eating habits.

 

Another option for men searching for vegan boots is the Earth Lazer series. These comfortable vegan boots are extremely light without sacrificing durability. The heel contains a neoprene fabric that is able to stretch which adds to the life of the shoe. The upper portions are manufactured from microfiber, while the souls are made from a biodegradable rubber. They have strategically placed perforations to allow for the maximum circulation and air flow, allowing your foot to breathe and remain healthy. Weighing in at only seven ounces, users report that they feel as if they are walking on air when wearing them.

 

Vegan shoes and vegan boots are the perfect fashion statement for the environmentally conscious person who wants to make a difference. By choosing to purchase footwear that abstains from harming animals you are making a choice that is both ethical and humane. In addition, many of these products are made from biodegradable material, so they will eventually return to the earth rather than a landfill. Not just for animal rights activists and vegetarians, these shoes are for anyone concerned about the fate of the environment and natural world.

Fluevogs

Stylish Options For Vegan Footwear
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Enjoy style with Vegan Shoes and Boots.
http://www.eveganshoes.com has a selection of Vegan Footwear for all the family.