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 Retailers Can Pivot at the Speed of Employee, Customer, and Market Needs” by Hunter Kafcsak via Total Retail

by admin | May 26, 2025 | HR, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs

Credit: Getty Images by Flamingo Images In retail, speed is no longer optional. Customer expectations shift fast, and technology evolves even faster. Strategic priorities can flip overnight in response to market volatility, operational challenges, or competitive...

“75 Things Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | May 12, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Your payroll is still running even when the floor is empty. Here’s how to make every minute count. Originally, I shared just 50 of these ideas. The response was so strong, I decided recently to expand it. Now there are 75 ways your employees can stay sharp,...

“7 Critical Service Failures Driving Customers Away (And How Training Solves Them)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Apr 28, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

The scene plays out in one of America’s most prestigious department stores: A customer looking to purchase a high-end coat walks the sales floor for 15 minutes. During that time, not a single employee acknowledges him. Some are busy with their phones; others are...

“Retail’s AI Taskmaster: Technology Turns Associates into Digital Servants” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 26, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, m-commerce, Resources, Retail Strategy, Social Media

I shared a story last month about a visit to Saks where associates were too engrossed in their smartphones to look up at shoppers. A friend commented they had the same experience and when they asked the manager, they were told, “Oh, they’re clienteling.” First, I...

“The 11 Most Frequent Forms of Retail Employee Fraud” by Arick Wierson via The Robin Report

by admin | Mar 20, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, HR, Industry, News, Retail Crime, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Let’s be honest – when it comes to retail fraud, the online world grabs all the attention – and probably justifiably so. Last year, losses stemming from internet shopping scams and duplicity approached $400 million, according to statistics from the Better Business...

“50 Actions Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Feb 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing

What to do when your retail employees are standing around during those quiet store moments?Sure, you’re fine with them taking a quick breather after dealing with a demanding customer or wrapping up a task. We all need that. But there’s still that line...