Industry and Market Analysis – Aura Couture
Aura Couture fits under North American industry classification system NAICS 448120 – Women’s Clothing Stores. This category covers businesses that sell a general line of women’s ready-to-wear clothing, like dresses, tops, jeans and more. It doesn’t include custom tailoring or family clothing stores initially but later will do. When then business will Expand .
The Canadian clothing retail industry is sizeable. In 2023, clothing stores generated about $28.3 billion in sales, with steady growth averaging just over 3% a year since 2018. Overall retail trade in Canada reached $803.1 billion in 2024, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year. In British Columbia, July 2025 sales were $9.7 billion, which shows that despite inflationary pressure, consumer spending on retail remains active.
(Statistics Canada. (2024). Retail trade, sales by industry. Government of Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca
(Statistics Canada. (2023). NAICS 448120 – Women’s clothing stores. https://www.statcan.gc.ca
Several trends are shaping the industry:
• Shoppers are very price sensitive right now, and that benefits discount and off-price chains.
• Fast fashion continues to capture youth spending, with Ardene as a good example in Terrace.
• Online shopping is a major substitute, especially with players like Shein, Amazon, and H&M.
Competitor Analysis – Terrace Clothing Market
| Competitors | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Winners (Skeena Mall) | Attracts bargain hunters with name brands at off-price. Regularly refreshes stock, so customers come back often. | Sizes and styles are hit or miss. Very little service or help with fit. |
| Arden (Skeena Mall) | Offers trendy basics at low prices. Well known with young shoppers. | Quality is inconsistent. No tailoring or personal service. |
| Warehouse One (Skeena Mall) | Good value in denim and casual wear. Runs regular promotions. | Slower to bring in new trends. Narrow focus on denim makes it harder to build full outfits. |
| Walmart (Terrace) | Convenient one-stop shopping. Everyday low pricing and a wide size range. | No style curation. Shopping experience isn’t focused on fashion. |
| Online stores (Shein, Temu) | It can spot trends quickly and roll out new style fast keeping inventory fresh and aligned with what customer want | Quality inconsistent _customers often complaint’s with sizes and fabric Cost is very high, issue with transparency |
4 P’S
| Competitor | Product | Price | Place | Promotion |
| Winners | Off-price brand-Tops dresses, jacket etc. | CAD $20-$80 | Skeena Mall | National ads and discount promotions |
| Ardene | Trendy basics aimed at young tops, dresses | CAD $15-$40 | Skeena Mall | Social media ads |
| Warehouse One | Denim-casual wear | CAD $25-$60 | Skeena mall | In-store promotions |
| Walmart | Essentials, wide range, no fashion focus | CAD $5-$50 | Terrace standalone store | In-store promotions |
| Online | Fast fashion, trendy but inconsistent quality | CAD$8-$40 | Online only | Social media, |
How can I differentiate my business
Aura Couture can compete by offering unique, stylish, and affordable women’s wear imported from Punjab, India. These clothes will have both trendy and cultural designs that big stores do not offer. Personal service, size flexibility, and quality fabric will make the brand stand out.
Barriers, Suppliers & Regulations
Starting costs like inventory, shipping, and marketing can be high. Competing with large online retailers is also a challenge. Suppliers will be manufacturers in Punjab, especially from Ludhiana, known for quality textiles. Partnering directly with factories helps control price and design. Locally, sales will happen through markets and small retailers.
The business must follow import and labeling rules, including English and French tags and textile safety standards. A business license and customs duties must also be managed properly.
Future Growth
Aura Couture can grow by keeping prices fair, ensuring good quality, and offering unique fashion styles, culture style. Expansion into online sales and nearby towns like Kitimat and Prince Rupert will help reach more customers.
References
Statistics Canada. (2024). Retail trade, sales by industry. Government of Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca
Statistics Canada. (2023). NAICS 448120 – Women’s clothing stores. https://www.statcan.gc.ca
Government of Canada. (2023). North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2022 Version 1.0 – 448120 Women’s clothing stores. Statistics Canada. https://www.statcan.gc.ca.
Retail Council of Canada. (2023). Retail trends in Canada: Annual industry overview. Retail Council of Canada. https://www.retailcouncil.org
Canadian Apparel Federation. (2024). Guide to Importing and Labelling Requirements. https://www.apparel.ca