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.

“Visa and Mastercard Reach $30B Settlement to Lower Merchant Fees” by Marie Albiges via Total Retail

by admin | Mar 15, 2024 | Accounting and Business Services, Brick & Mortar, Credit Card Processing, News, Point of Sale, Resources

Credit: Getty Images by Westend61 Visa, Mastercard, and the banks that issue cards with them agreed to pay $30 billion in a lawsuit settlement that was first brought to the courts by merchants in 2005 . In reaching a settlement, Visa and Mastercard agree to lower...

Michaels boosts in-store experience with birthday parties, classes by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive

by admin | Mar 13, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, News, Retail Strategy, Skate Art

Kids at a Michaels birthday party. Starting at $299, Michaels will help customers organize two-hour parties for up to eight children. Courtesy of Michaels The crafts retailer reimagined its class offering and introduced a party planning service for children in the...

“9 Proven Retail Strategies For Improving Sales” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 11, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Service, Educational Opportunity, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

When you’re looking for a Retail Sales Strategy that works, it’s simple: you need to be brilliant on the basics.  I had been hired in my business consultant role by a man looking to open a new store. After assessing the location and...

“How to Run an Efficient, Impactful and Successful Sales Contest” by staff via Shop Eat Surf (reposted with permission)

by admin | Mar 9, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Competitions, News, Resources, Retail Technologies, Sales Training

Photo Courtesy of ENDVR Sales contests are powerful tools for brands. They incentivize and motivate sales associates to talk about their products and sell them to customers. And this extra push goes a long way for brands.  In this article, we will explain how to...

“Redefining Retail: 3 AI Trends Leading the Way” by Antony Wildey via Total Retail

by admin | Feb 29, 2024 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, News, Retail Technologies

Credit: iStock.com by Surasak Suwanmake For some time now, many retailers have been exploring the use of artificial intelligence to enhance various aspects of their business, from inventory placement to merchandising assortments. However, the conversation gained...

“What is a skateboard shop? – ‘A cultural hub, capitalist outpost, the scene of my gravest sin?'” by Cole Nowicki

by admin | Feb 27, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Opinion, Retail Crime, Skateboard

This is an extended version of a story that initially appeared in SBC Skateboard Vol. 24.1. You can look at that whole issue online here and subscribe to the mag here. The obvious, business-registry-grade answer is that it’s a place to buy hard and...