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.
by admin | Feb 11, 2026 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Merchandising, Opinion, Retail Strategy
We live in an age of abundance: more information, more options, more products, more channels, more noise. On the surface, this abundance appears to be a gift—greater access, freedom, and personalization. But beneath that promise lies a growing tension: complexity...
by admin | Feb 8, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Generations, News, Opinion, Predictions, Retail Strategy
Fly View Productions/Getty Images The generation craves in-person retail experiences much like Gen Z, but their experience growing up in virtual worlds have created unique expectations for in-store shopping. Just when it felt like we finally had a firm grip on what...
by admin | Feb 6, 2026 | Customer Experience, Educational Opportunity, News, Opinion, Product Reviews
When the temperatures drop and the snow starts to fall, most people pack away their beach towels and their sunscreen, assuming the sun’s harmful rays have also gone into hibernation. UV radiation is a year-round threat, and for winter action sports enthusiasts,...
by admin | Feb 4, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Resources, Retail Strategy
“It’s Never Just a Baseball Glove”: The Story That Shaped Dick’s Culture Dick’s Sporting Goods built a $13.7 billion business by treating every customer as a human being first and a transaction second. At NRF’s Big Show this past...
by admin | Jan 31, 2026 | Community, News, Outdoor, Resources, Skateboard, Story Telling, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows
Surf Expo kicked off its 50th anniversary with a high-energy January edition that reinforced its role as the leading global marketplace for watersports and coastal lifestyle brands. A 15% increase in retail company attendance translated into...
by admin | Jan 28, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Data Driven Performance, News, Opinion, Predictions, Resources
Agentic AI is an amorphous catchall that is tricky to define but managed to eclipse any other discourse at the recent 2026 NRF Big Show. Brands including LVMH, Home Depot, Warby Parker, Target, and others discussed their understanding of an Agentic AI future. They...
by admin | Jan 25, 2026 | Awards, Community, Industry, News, Skateboard
The International Skateboarding Hall of Fame just announced the Class of 2026 Inductees. Key Points The 2026 Skateboarding Hall of Fame inductees include TransWorld SKATEboarding and other key figures. The ceremony takes place May 15, 2026, at Vans Headquarters in...
by admin | Jan 23, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Educational Opportunity, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing, Story Telling
The laziest way to attempt to sell something in a retail store is to let your associates ask “what” questions. What product do you need? What size? What color? What price range? It’s what I call the “let’s cut to the chase” way of...
by admin | Jan 21, 2026 | Resources, Retail Strategy, Shipping
When you think about how to optimize your shipping operations, the freight you receive from vendors might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, you have more control over your inbound shipping than you may realize, and when you have the right resources...
by admin | Jan 19, 2026 | News
Nurphoto/Getty Images The retailer talked omnichannel strategy at NRF. The advantages of shipping online orders from retail stores rather than warehouses and distribution centers are perhaps too obvious to mention, but since when did we let that stop us? As...
