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.

“When the mall is the target: The state of retail and mass shootings” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive

by admin | May 12, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Community, News, Political Action, Retail Crime, Safety and preparedness, Social Issues

Protesters against gun violence outside a church on May 7 in Allen, Texas, a day after a mass shooting at the nearby Allen Premium Outlets mall. Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images Stores and malls are especially vulnerable to random attacks like the recent killing of...

“9 Best Practices for Improving Gift Card Program Performance” by Joe Keenan via Total Retail

by admin | May 9, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, Gift Cards, m-commerce, News, Omnichannel, Resources

As part of the 2023 US Merchant Gift Card Omnicommerce Evaluation, US Edition, a comprehensive report produced by Total Retail in conjunction with sponsor partner Blackhawk Network, best practices for the three channels (digital/e-commerce, in-store, mobile)...

“‘We’ve chosen both’: How Nike aims to connect DTC and wholesale” by Cara Salpini via Retail Dive

by admin | May 6, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Debate, DTC, Industry, News, Retail Partners, Shoe Market

Nike Live is a localized store concept and is one of several formats Nike uses to connect with shoppers. Courtesy of Nike While the athletics giant has invested heavily in its own digital channels and physical stores, the retailer is also trying to broaden its...

“History of Surfing: Houses of the Holy – Matt Warshaw explains the history of our beloved cultural watering hole, and where he thinks the future of the surf shop is headed” by Davis Jones via Surfer Mag (originally published Oct. 2017)

by admin | Apr 29, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Industry, News, Retail History, Surf

Hobie Alter’s Dana Point compound. Dale Velzy’s Manhattan Beach showroom. Larry Gordon and Floyd Smith’s San Diego storefront. Jack O’Neill’s San Francisco shack. In the 1950s, California’s first surf shops had personalities as...

“How eBay’s authentication process pulls in the most dedicated sneakerheads” by Katishi Maake via Retail Brew

by admin | Apr 24, 2023 | Community, Industry, News, Shoe Market

eBay To date, eBay has authenticated more than 4 million shoes globally, and on average, there are 1.7 million listings on the site each day, the company said. Talk to any sneakerhead and they’ll tell you authenticity matters (and what they copped in the latest Jordan...

“BC Owner on Business, Sales Trends and a Move Away from Covid Comparisons” by Kari Hamanaka via Shop Eat Surf

by admin | Apr 19, 2023 | Community, Corona Virus, Industry, Merchandising, News, Retail Economy, Retail History, Retail Strategy, Surf

A quarter of the way into the year and key industry account BC Surf & Sport’s business is chugging along. If the multi-store operator is any barometer of how the overall industry is trending, 2023 could perhaps mean a normalization –  and a new chapter –...