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...

“Why retail’s e-commerce disruption era is over” by Daphne Howard via Retail Dive

by admin | May 24, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Commercial Real Estate, E-Commerce, News, Opinion, Predictions, Retail Economy

In the last 15 years, the value of in-store sales fell just once, amid 2020’s pandemic lockdowns, according to a report from Colliers Monday. Daphne Howland/Retail Dive Brick-and-mortar stores drive the vast majority of core retail sales, and that won’t change any...

“”Welcome In” Isn’t a Greeting: It’s a Sales Killer” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | May 22, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Opinion, Retail Strategy

You’ve heard it walking through stores: “Welcome in.” A phrase that sounds meaningful but isn’t. It’s retail’s equivalent of a shrug – forgettable and damaging to customer experience. I first noticed it in Manhattan during...

“Opinion: Surf Shop Day Highlights Importance of Shops in Surf Culture” by Vipe Desai and Mike Vavak via Shop Eat Surf X Outdoor

by admin | May 10, 2025 | BRA Community Partners, Brick & Mortar, Community, Industry, News, Opinion, Surf

Retailers showing support for the upcoming Surf Shop Day on May 17. Photos courtesy of SIMA. Surf Shop Day came from a casual chat between Mike Vavak, founder of Building The Revolution, and a friend. The two started brainstorming about a surf alternative to...

“Short-Term Retail Fixes for Tariffs” by Warren Shoulberg via The Robin Report

by admin | Apr 30, 2025 | Governmental Affairs, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs

You really can’t argue with Joe Feldman, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group: “We are spending a lot of time on something that continues to change and is rapidly changing. It’s not even worth trying.” Ever-changing, ever-chaotic, ever-devastating, the Trump Tariff...

“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...