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.

“‘It takes a lot of discipline’: How retail brands are educating their in-store staff” by Danny Parisi via Glossy

by admin | Jun 19, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Educational Opportunity, Footwear, News, Sales Training, Shoe Market

At the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show this week in New York City, brick-and-mortar was at the center of the conversation. With the pandemic era fully behind us, customers are returning to stores, and brands and retailers are looking for ways to make the...

“Why Experienced Retail Staff Still Struggle To Convert Shoppers” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jun 13, 2025 | Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

You’ve hired smart people. Some have been with your store for years. They know your products inside and out. So why aren’t they closing more sales? Here are the two issues: Experience doesn’t equal engagement. And… Product knowledge doesn’t...

“CARV takes center stage” by Chris Ahrens via The Coast News

by admin | Jun 11, 2025 | News, Trade Shows

The last elaborate booth for the ASR (Action Sports Retailer) show in San Diego was packed up in August 2010. Those 15 years of slapping hands, bumping shoulders and surfing my way through crowds of longtime friends, bitter business competitors, beautiful young...

“This Is Going To Be A Buckwild Hurricane Season” by Owen James Burke via Surfer Mag

by admin | Jun 9, 2025 | News, Opinion, Safety and preparedness, Surf

Satellite view of Hurricane Dorian (with digital enhancements) from 2019.Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images NOAA cuts are here…and they’re not good. Heading into the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, National Weather Service forecasters at the National Oceanic and...

“Transparency is the New Loyalty: Why Brands Should Treat Tariffs Like Sales Tax” by Dustin Engel via Total Retail

by admin | Jun 7, 2025 | E-Commerce, News, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs

Consumers are waking up to a new economic reality: things cost more. From hot sake to tinted moisturizer to vehicles, the everyday evidence is piling up. For brand leaders, especially in retail, this isn’t just about inflation. It’s about trust — and how it’s...

“THREE TWEAKS THAT BRING SIGNIFICANT CASH FLOW” by BRA Advisory Member, Retail Consultant, and remarkable speaker Dan Jablons

by admin | Jun 3, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, News, Resources, Retail Strategy

Retailers often think that the next boost in their business is going to come from finding the next amazing line of merchandise, or discovering a new marketing tool (the next Facebook?).  Sometimes they believe it will happen because they hire a killer...