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 20, 2026 | News, Small Business, Tariffs
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch is displayed on the sleeve of a CBP official. Many importers remain uncertain about the timeline for potential refunds of tariffs recently struck down by the Supreme Court, a transportation and logistics lawyer said. Drew...
by admin | Feb 17, 2026 | m-commerce, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies
dookdui/Depositphotos.com Platforms such as Whatnot and TikTok Shop represent something of a “modern gold rush” into shopping as entertainment — or “shoppertainment” — as Forbes contributor Catherine Erdly pointed out. Out of a total $87 billion social...
by admin | Feb 14, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Data Driven Performance, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Skateboard, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows
The story of Ocean Magic’s recent resurgence doesn’t begin in a corporate boardroom; it begins with a sponsored skateboarder being moved out of a pickleball store. A little over a year ago, Christian—now the shop’s manager—was running a completely different business...
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 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...
