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 “Cash Is King” Kills Retail Sales (and Why Credit Card Fees Are Really Marketing Costs)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Oct 11, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Credit Card Processing, Customer Experience, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Credit card customers spend more than cash customers … a lot more. Research shows card users spend 12 to 18 percent more per transaction than those paying with cash. The Federal Reserve found non-cash purchases average more than four...

“If You’re Always Running a Sale, You’re Always Losing Margin” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Aug 6, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Clearance Sales / Discounting, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Event Planning, Resources, Retail Strategy

From independent boutiques to national chains, many retailers lean heavily on coupons, sales, and markdowns to drive traffic. On the surface, discounting seems like an easy win to boost sales. In fact, almost all American shoppers (a whopping 94%) redeem at least one...

“Can You Read a Customer in 30 Seconds? – take the quiz” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Jun 23, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, HR, Opinion, Resources, Sales Training

Take our Retail Personality Styles Quiz to discover how you show up—and how to flex your style to sell more. Why This Quiz Matters Some associates connect instantly. Others lose the sale before “hello.”The difference? Knowing how to read personalities—and...

“Death of the 99 Cent Pricing Policy” by Warren Shoulberg via The Robin Report

by admin | Feb 22, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Point of Sale, Resources, Retail Economy

Wanamaker’s Department Stores is generally credited with being the first retailer to price its products ending in 99 cents rather than rounding it up to the next dollar. Legend or reality, we do know the practice has become the foundation of most retailers’...

“OK Gen X: Purchasing Behavior of the Sandwich Generation” by Jasmine Glasheen

by admin | Feb 8, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Consumer Behavior, Generations, News, Retail Strategy

Which generational cohort has big middle-child energy? Enter the least discussed generation of all, born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X is dubbed “the Sandwich Generation” because they’re sandwiched between infamous baby boomers and equally infamous millennials. Gen X...

“Why Next Gens Buy During Times of Cautious Spending” by Jasmine Glasheen via The Robin Report

by admin | Oct 16, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, News

If you haven’t been bombarded by statistics about next-gen cautious shopping behavior lately, then you’re probably in a news blackout orbiting around our planet on SpaceX alongside its overlord, Elon. The statistics are everywhere. What isn’t reported, however, is a...