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Rim Hariss awarded NSERC Discovery Grant for retail operations research

Professor Rim Hariss is one of 122 McGill researchers awarded funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) Discovery Grants competition, announced July 7 as part of a $30-million investment in McGill research.

Harris's project, "Beyond the Stockout: A Behavioral-Analytical Framework for Optimizing Retail Operations," examines how consumers respond to product unavailability, using AI-enabled in-store tracking data to model search and substitution behavior.

Classified as: Rim Hariss, operations management, retail, AI at McGill Desautels, artificial intelligence (AI)
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Published on: 7 Jul 2026

Desautels to award Honorary Doctorate to Harley Finkelstein

McGill University will award 10 honorary doctorates during its Spring 2026 Convocation, recognizing individuals whose leadership, service and achievements have had a lasting impact on society.

Among this year’s honourees is Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, who will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Desautels Faculty of Management for his contributions to entrepreneurship and community engagement.

A Montreal native, Finkelstein helped build Shopify into a global commerce platform after joining the company at an early stage.

Classified as: Convocation, retail, entrepreneurship, Convocation 2026
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Published on: 7 May 2026

Canada needs decisive, coordinated action to be part of next wave of AI innovation

As AI reaches a pivotal moment, Canada’s early leadership is being challenged by rapid global shifts. “Other nations are investing at unprecedented scale, while Canada risks falling behind if it does not act decisively,” says Maxime Cohen, Professor of Retail and Operations Management.

Classified as: Maxime Cohen, retail, artificial intelligence (AI), AI at McGill Desautels
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Published on: 14 Jan 2026

Healthy snacks make good business sense

A 2022 study by researchers at McGill Desautels revealed that when shoppers were offered a promotion that gave them a choice between a healthy snack and a pastry with their coffee, sales of healthy snacks increased by more than 1000%.

Classified as: Maxime Cohen, Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Retail innovation lab, retail
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Published on: 11 Dec 2024

Luxury Royalmount Mall opens amid excitement and concerns

Montreal’s long-awaited luxury shopping mall Royalmount officially opened on September 5. The project, which spans 800,000 square feet, and features stores like Gucci, Versace, and Louis Vuitton, aims to attract diverse shoppers from all walks of life with an “inclusive luxury” concept. While excitement is high, concerns exist over traffic and accessibility.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail
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Published on: 6 Sep 2024

Bensadoun School of Retail Management sheds light on understudied sector of the economy

From Walmart to Amazon to Shopify, the retail sector is big business and incredibly important for the economy. However, there is little retail-specific education available, according to Charles de Brabant, Executive Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM), in an interview with Paula Macaggi for the OFFbounds podcast.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail
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Published on: 13 Jun 2024

Montreal’s La Vie en Rose is wise to take a gradual approach to U.S. expansion

Lingerie retailer La Vie en Rose operates in 20 countries, but they haven’t expanded to the neighbouring United States – until now. The Montreal-headquartered company is opening three stores in New York state, with an eye cast toward operating nationwide one day. But with a more crowded market for lingerie in the United States, they’re taking a cautious approach.

Classified as: Desautels Faculty of Management, Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail
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Published on: 20 Feb 2024

Holiday grocery price freeze includes more products this year, but long-term affordability solutions needed

This year, Canada’s large grocery chains are freezing the price for a greater variety of items than usual before the holidays. While 10-15% more products are included in the freeze this year, the true test of affordability will come later. “How high will grocery prices be when the price freeze ends?” asks Professor Saibal Ray in an interview with CBC Radio’s As It Happens.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail, Saibal Ray, Operations Management (T)
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Published on: 30 Nov 2023

New Royalmount real estate development will bring greater luxury retail options to Montreal

Among the low-rise industrial buildings that line the northern end of Décarie Boulevard, a major new shopping centre is taking shape. The $7-billion Royalmount luxury retail and lifestyle centre is slated to open in summer 2024, after numerous construction delays.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Charles de Brabant, retail
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Published on: 13 Nov 2023

Bensadoun School of Retail Management Road Shows work with businesspeople in rural Quebec

The way that we shop is changing, and for small- and medium-sized enterprises, it can be challenging to keep up with the pace of innovation. But the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM) is helping them do it. Since spring 2023, it has been hosting regional networking events that meet Quebec businesspeople where they live and work. Regional roadshows aim to help SMEs become omni-channel retailers, and consist of workshops that showcase the innovative research happening at BSRM.

Classified as: Desautels Faculty of Management, retail, Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Charles de Brabant
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Published on: 10 Oct 2023

Couche-Tard's Retail Innovation Lab is the store of the future

AI's impact on retail is set to revolutionize the industry, from crowd measurement to price management, changing the in-store experience significantly. Certified analytics and marketing intelligence professional Christian Bourque explains how infrared technology is currently used to analyze foot traffic levels and reveal the upcoming technological frontier in retail, stating that McGill’s Retail Innovation Lab in the Bronfman pavilion exemplifies the store of the future.

Classified as: retail, Master of Management in Retailing (MMR), Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Desautels Faculty of Management
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Published on: 20 Jun 2023

Vaudreuil-Soulanges entrepreneurs connect with BSRM researchers to learn retail best practices

About sixty entrepreneurs from Vaudreuil-Soulanges region joined Desautels faculty and staff for a conference on best practices in retail.

Classified as: retail, Bensadoun School of Retail Management, Charles de Brabant, Maxime Cohen
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Published on: 20 Apr 2023

Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray named Top Retail Influencers for 2023 

Two faculty members of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management were named to Rethink Retail’s Top Retail Influencers list for 2023.  Professors Maxime Cohen and Saibal Ray were both recognized with this distinction, alongside some of the world’s top retail experts, consultants, analysts, academics, journalists, and thought leaders who are making an impact in the online retail community.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail, Maxime Cohen, Saibal Ray
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Published on: 25 Jan 2023

Prof Maxime Cohen wins 2022 MSOM Young Scholar Prize

Congratulations to Maxime Cohen, Professor of Retail and Operations Management, winner of the 2022 MSOM Young Scholar Prize, awarded by Manufacturing and Service Operations Management - MSOM Society of INFORMS.

Classified as: Maxime Cohen, Operations Management (T), retail, Bensadoun School of Retail Management
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Published on: 12 Jul 2022

The novelty of celebrity collaborations can drive sales, build brands

For years, paparazzi have been clicking candid shots of Justin Bieber cradling Tim Hortons coffee cups, but it still came as a surprise to see Biebs Brew become an official menu item at Canada’s most popular coffee chain. The novelty aspect of this type of collaboration can help drive sales, said Charles de Brabant in a story in The Globe and Mail. Biebs Brew might only be available for a limited time, but some collaborations can last for decades – like those between athletes and apparel brands.

Classified as: Bensadoun School of Retail Management, retail, Charles de Brabant
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Published on: 6 Jul 2022

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