Canada Post has released its list of finalists for its E-Commerce Innovation Awards, naming 25 contenders with a shot at winning almost $1 million in prizes.
Divvying up its finalists into seven categories, Canada Post has made room for not only Canada’s biggest retailers, but also some homegrown startups. Its categories include the best e-commerce shopping experience, the best omni-channel integration, the most innovative startup, the best customer and community outreach, the best mobile experience for large retailers, the best mobile experience for small retailers, and the most creative marketing campaign among small retailers.
Among those listed as finalists are Canadian retailers like Aritzia, Best Buy Canada Ltd., MEC, ALDO Group, Hudson’s Bay, Frank & Oak, Telus, and Walmart Canada. However, there were also a handful of startups, like Carnivore Club, Tees for the People, the Roasters Pack. Vancouver’s ClearlyContacts.ca also scored two nominations, one for best customer and community outreach, and one for best e-commerce shopping experience.
The judges choosing the winners for each category include Twitter Canada’s Kirstine Stewart, Diane Brisebois, the president and CEO of the Retail Council of Canada, and Duncan Payne of Hut2Hut Events and the co-founder of DX3, a marketing conference. Other judges also include Rafe Petkovic, Google Canada’s head of industry and retail, as well as Stéphane Ricoul, director of client relations at Sid Lee Technologies.
There’s also a chance for consumers to participate through online voting, allowing them to choose a winner for the Consumer Champion Award. The winner is the company with the most votes.
This is Canada Post’s third annual E-Commerce Innovation Awards, with the event originally created in 2012 to boost Canadian e-commerce growth and to honour retailers based within the country. Last year’s winners included NailPolishCanada.com, Lowe’s Companies Canada, Well.ca, Snakes & Lattes, Jewlr.com, Build.ca, and Ten Tree International.
The winners of this year’s E-Commerce Awards will be named Sept. 23.