Probably the most recent failure that people are aware of is Target department stores. Anyone who had shopped in US Target stores were thrilled to see them move in. It turned out to be a bitter disappointment. After the first rush of customers it trickled off to basically nothing. There was very limited stock with empty shelves everywhere. The staff stood around with nothing to do. The prices were not only higher, they were higher than Canadian stores. Given that 75% of Canada's population lives within 100 miles of the border and at the time the amount of goods you could bring back duty free had just been raised people just went across the line and bought at the US Target where supply was plentiful and prices cheaper.Were you one of those who skipped Canadian Target and went to a US Target?

Target made a huge mistake in coming into Canada without a proper marketing plan. They opened 124 stores and 3 distribution centres but still could not supply the stores with goods. This incident is now used as a textbook example of how NOT to move into a new market without first doing your homework. Do you agree?

This next story of a company failing to know its market is my favourite. I remember it very well. Hershey's chocolate decided to move into Canada. So they showed up with their American chocolate in their little brown wrappers. They were a flop. No one could figure out why no one was buying their chocolate. Were you aware of this?

Hershey's finally broke down and hired a Canadian marketing agency to find out what the problem was. What do you think the problem was?

It was a big surprise to the Americans to find out that Canadians did not like American chocolate and hated the colour of the wrappers. They were used to light coloured wrappers and much creamier chocolate. Does this surprise you?

Adding to Hershey's problems Canadian law restricts the number of additives that can used and the labelling must reflect exactly what was in the product. This was not true in the USA. Hershey's had to go back and retool their chocolate and their wrappers for Canadian tastes. Did you know that to this day Hershey's chocolate in Canada tastes very different from American Hersheys. It is much creamier and less grainy than American chocolate.

As for the wrappers they came out with a white wrapper and gold lettering. You can still see these for sale in Canada along side their traditional brown wrappers. Interestingly enough the most popular chocolate bar in Canada is Dairy Milk. Hershey's doesn't even make the top 20. Do you like Dairy Milk bars?

Strangely enough Dairy Milk is also the most popular chocolate bar in Europe as well. Does that surprise you?

My last question is kind of funny. Did you know that Hershey had a chocolate plant in Smith Falls Ontario which they closed due to failling sales. They shut it down in 2008 and the plant was purchased by a cannabis company. Now Hershey's has bought it back but they don't know or won't say what is going to be made there. Does this surprise you?