Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.

“Why Do Brick-and-Mortar Stores Struggle Without Sales Training?” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Aug 11, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Brick-and-mortar stores struggle without sales training because the purchase decision is made on the sales floor, and most associates were never taught how to influence it. In first-time mystery shops across our client base, associates score an average of 36%. They...

“The Slow Burn in Retail” by Deborah Patton via The Robin Report

by admin | Aug 8, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Community, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Service, News

It’s summer-escape time, and we’ve all run into the addictive, slow-burn love stories typically found on epic, multi-episodic romantic streamers. You’re rooting for the intractable lead character who just needs a persistent love-washing treatment to reveal his or her...

“Back-to-School Spending Surge Set to Break Records: Report” by Samantha Schober via NRF Newsletter Report

by admin | Aug 1, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Holiday, News, Predictions, Retail Economy

While online shopping is still holding its own, its share of spending among both K-12 and college households is slipping year by year. Yearly BTS spending for college students cracks $100B for the 1st time Back-to-school spending is on track to smash records this...

“Pharrell Just Made Surf the Coolest Thing in Paris. Surf Industry Leaders Weigh In.” by Tiffany Montgomery via SES Outdoor

by admin | Jul 27, 2026 | Apparel /Fashion, News, Opinion, Story Telling, Surf

Photos courtesy of Louis Vuitton. Pharrell Just Made Surf the Coolest Thing in Paris. Surf Industry Leaders Weigh In. SESO asked Pat Tenore of Tenore, Ryan Hitzel of Roark, Evan Slater of Sun Bum, Candy Harris of Unlisted Brand Lab, Ryan Mangan of Quiksilver and...

“College Students Develop Device to Save Skiers and Riders Trapped in Tree Wells” by Cooper Gegan via The Inertia

by admin | Jul 24, 2026 | Industry, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Resources, Snowboard

Avalanche beacons are a crucial part of backcountry skiing. However, even if the devices have saved many lives already, we haven’t yet reached the pinnacle (pun intended) of the technology’s potential. Students at OSU Cascades are working to change that, though. As...