Canada Goose’s Human-First Approach to Retail Innovation

In an era where retail automation is accelerating, Canada Goose is choosing to double down on people.

Speaking at Shoptalk Europe, Carrie Baker, President, Brand & Commercial at Canada Goose, laid out a clear thesis: luxury retail doesn’t scale through systems alone. It scales through emotional connection, frontline empowerment, and leadership that listens.

Interviewed by Vogue Business’ Kirsty McGregor, Baker offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the outerwear giant is shaping a next-gen retail model, one that prizes training over tech, clienteling over convenience, and brand ambassadors over sales associates.

The Store as Cultural Beacon Not Just a Checkout Point

Canada Goose’s global retail footprint has grown rapidly, but the ethos remains consistent: stores are not fulfillment centers. They are physical extensions of brand identity.

Rather than chasing footfall metrics, Baker’s team focuses on experience. Every store is designed to feel immersive from signature cold rooms and LED Northern Lights displays to team-led events celebrating product color drops or community milestones. These aren’t gimmicks, they’re conversion drivers. Cold room visitors, for example, consistently show higher in-store conversion rates than average shoppers.

More than aesthetics, it’s about ownership. Store managers are treated as entrepreneurs. One standout example came from a manager in Ottawa, who, despite low mall traffic, grew revenue by hosting intimate, locally resonant events. That store now sees over 40% of its sales driven by repeat clientele.

Training Beyond the Transaction

Canada Goose doesn’t believe in scripted upselling. Instead, they train for genuine connection and that training is often rooted in real-world immersion.

Brand ambassadors participate in field testing programs that bring product stories to life. In one initiative, store staff from different regions were flown to Churchill, Manitoba (polar bear capital of the world) to witness conservation efforts firsthand and connect with the company’s longstanding partner, Polar Bears International. The result: not just product knowledge, but emotional conviction that translates into richer customer storytelling.

This people-first philosophy even shapes internal structure. When back-of-house staff expressed a desire to engage more with customers, having handled product daily, the company restructured roles to enable blended responsibilities. According to Baker, these seemingly small shifts have led to notable increases in conversion and morale.

Listening as a Leadership Discipline

Canada Goose isn’t just training employees to listen to customers, it’s listening to employees. Baker described a culture where brand ambassadors are encouraged to voice feedback continuously, whether it’s about inventory gaps, training needs, or product line opportunities.

Their entry into footwear, for instance, was accelerated directly due to frontline feedback: repeated requests from customers were flagged by store staff and prioritized faster than originally planned. Even internal systems were redesigned after leadership spent time on the shop floor and realized that overly complex tools were pulling staff away from customer interaction.

“We realized we were asking too much, too many systems, too many clicks,” Baker said. “We’re now simplifying wherever possible so our people can focus on what matters most: the human connection.”

Technology That Whispers, Not Shouts

Despite its people-centric strategy, Canada Goose isn’t anti-tech. But it takes a ‘whisper, not shout’ approach. The company’s digital investments are filtered through a single lens: will this help employees create better customer moments?

From omnichannel fulfillment tools that allow instant online orders in-store, to WeChat integrations for clienteling in Asia, tech is positioned as an enabler, not a centerpiece.

AI, too, is on the roadmap but framed as augmentation, not replacement. The company is experimenting with predictive analytics for inventory planning, and exploring how AI might accelerate real-time training and personalized customer support, without diluting the brand’s human warmth.

Global Expansion with Local Sensitivity

As Canada Goose expands globally, it’s adapting, not flattening, its approach. Baker described “Canadian Warm” as their universal service ethos, but emphasized that delivery varies by market.

In Asia, where retail etiquette is more formal, interactions are paced and reserved. In North America, it’s casual and conversational. European shoppers often arrive as families, requiring different store layouts and pacing. The common thread: creating a sense of belonging and emotional connection that transcends product.

Final Takeaway: Emotion Wins

Carrie Baker’s message was clear: in a world full of dashboards, APIs, and automation, retail’s competitive advantage still lives in human energy.

And when a brand invests in its people, not just as sellers, but as culture carriers, it doesn’t just move product. It builds love.

Independently Created. Not affiliated with Shoptalk.

Unofficially Shoptalk is a ClickZ Media publication in the Events division