Panda Mart Has Officially Arrived in Toronto: Signalling a New Phase of Global Retail Expansion
The global discount retail chain Panda Mart has officially opened its first North American location in Scarborough, Toronto, drawing significant attention and early enthusiasm from local consumers. With approximately 40 stores across 12 countries, Panda Mart’s market entry marks a notable milestone in Toronto’s urban retail landscape.
Bringing Global Momentum to Toronto
Originating from South Africa, Panda Mart has expanded rapidly since its inception. It has established a global store network including Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico, covering a diverse range of retail markets.
The Toronto flagship store, which officially opened on September 26, 2025, spans approximately 120,000 square feet and offers over 30,000 products, spanning daily necessities, home appliances, home decor, and stationary. During its opening weekend, the store attracted massive crowds, with long queues becoming a trending topic on social media.
This overwhelming response underscores Toronto shoppers’ appetite for new retail experiences and reflects genuine demand for high-value, cost-effective brick-and-mortar shopping.
Payment and Service Capabilities Supporting High-Frequency Retail
Since the opening, foot traffic at Panda Mart’s Toronto store has remained strong. For a “high-SKU, fast-paced” business model like discount retail, the checkout process must be exceptionally smooth. During peak hours—when queues build and multiple lanes process transactions simultaneously—even minor friction in payment processing can materially impact the overall customer experience.
Across all checkout counters, OTT Pay enables in-store payment acceptance for local credit and debit cards, alongside payment methods commonly used by Chinese consumers, ensuring Panda Mart’s diverse customer base can complete payments reliably during peak times.
In preparation for the grand opening’s concentrated demand, the local OTT Pay team completed system development in advance and conducted multiple rounds of stress testing. During live operations, the team provided both on-site and remote technical support, maintaining payment and settlement stability across simultaneous, multi-counter transactions. Even at peak volume, the checkout flow remained seamless—preventing technical friction from disrupting store operations. Even at the height of the rush, the payment process continued to run seamlessly, preventing technical issues from slowing down the checkout rhythm.
“Platform Capabilities” Integrating into Local Business and Life
In a diverse urban consumption ecosystem, payment is no longer just a “collection tool.” It is directly linked to operational efficiency, consumer experience, merchant management, and fund settlement. In high-frequency offline scenarios like retail, a stable, smooth payment capability is the foundation of daily operations.
Powering Panda Mart’s Toronto launch, OTT Pay delivered more than just payment processing—it demonstrated true platform-level capability and professional services execution. From initial deployment and comprehensive stress testing to ongoing technical support, the team ensured that payment and settlement systems operated reliably under sustained high traffic and high-concurrency conditions.
As Panda Mart’s first North American location, the Toronto store has quickly become a new point of interest in the city’s retail landscape. Behind the scenes, OTT Pay’s payment and platform support played a critical role in maintaining checkout efficiency and a smooth end-to-end customer experience.
Looking ahead, OTT Pay will continue to deliver stable, long-term payment infrastructure and platform support for offline businesses across retail, food service, and lifestyle sectors. Built to handle high-concurrency environments, multiple payment methods, and complex operational requirements, OTT Pay’s solutions help local business ecosystems scale and thrive.