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.

“How Livestreaming Can Help Brands and Retailers Optimize Digital Shelf Space” by Zarnaz Arlia via Total Retail

by admin | Aug 17, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, E-Commerce, m-commerce, Merchandising, News, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Social Commerce, Social Media

After first gaining popularity in the mid-1980s when CPG markets saw an explosion of products, slotting fees continue to be a routine cost retailers charge brands. Essentially, a slotting fee is what brands and manufacturers pay to have their products placed in prime...

“Unmoderated Reviews: The Secret Killer to Consumer Trust and Experience” by Joshua Buxbaum via Total Retail

by admin | Jul 25, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Reviews

Authenticity is at the forefront of every consumer buying decision, thus making reviews a barometer for a product and a company’s trustworthiness. Forty-nine percent of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations...

“Defensive Selling Isn’t Customer Service: Insights for Retail Managers” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jul 23, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Clearance Sales / Discounting, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Resources, Retail Strategy

Defensive selling is a sales approach typically driven by a sales associate’s anxiety and the assumption that a customer will only make a purchase if the salesperson is proactive to perceived customer objections. Salespeople feel it is customer service, but...

“Retailers’ Attempts To Dissuade Returns May Impact Brand Loyalty” by Alicia Thorpe via Retail Wire

by admin | Jul 18, 2023 | Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Debate, News, Omnichannel, Returns

The tension between retailers and shoppers is growing, and it’s because of returns. Shippo, a leading shipping platform for growing e-commerce businesses, has come out with a 2023 Benchmarks Report that “takes a comprehensive look at how mid-market...

“Customer Effort Score: What it is and How to Use it” by Reilly Nolan via Total Retail

by admin | Jul 3, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, News

Broadly speaking, a customer effort score measures how easy or difficult it is for a customer to resolve a given issue with a company’s customer service team. Have you ever waited your turn to speak to a customer service representative, only to be transferred to...

“As Retailers Use New Tactics to Drive Loyalty, Here’s How to Tell What’s Working (and What’s Not)” by Mike Debnar via Total Retail

by admin | Jun 26, 2023 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Data Driven Performance, News, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Several companies are experimenting with new initiatives to improve customer loyalty, including Amazon.com paying customers to pick up purchases and retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie, and Gap ramping up discounts. Others, like Jenni Kayne and...