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.

“Why small businesses must go narrow (extremely narrow) to survive – The path to success runs through radical specialization” by Faisel Hoque via Fast Company

by admin | Dec 15, 2025 | Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy

A few blocks from my home sits a small Japanese grocery store that has been in the neighborhood for years. It’s the kind of place that once felt irreplaceable—carefully sourced ingredients, shelves stocked with items I couldn’t find in mainstream supermarkets, and an...

“An Ode to Simply Waiting For Waves” by Brian Sousa via The Inertia

by admin | Dec 9, 2025 | Community, Opinion, Surf Expo

Because it’s always worth the wait. Photo: Jarno Colijn//Unsplash f you added up the seconds that a good surfer actually spent riding the waves, it would amount to only the smallest fraction of an entire life.” -Ellis Avery, “The Surfer’s Secret to...

“Solving the Supply Chain Puzzle: How Inicio Apparel Delivers High-Quality Blanks Without the Hassle” by Alyzah Mohammed

by admin | Nov 15, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Private Label, Resources, Surf

Why retailers are turning to this solution as a smarter, more sustainable alternative to traditional sourcing models. In today’s retail climate, finding high-quality blank apparel that’s both reliable and affordable shouldn’t feel like a gamble. But for many...

“Toxic SPF Is Costing You More Than You Think—Here’s What Smart Retailers Are Doing About It” by Maggie Raymond via BRA Blog

by admin | Oct 20, 2025 | Opinion, Outdoor, Product Reviews, Skateboard, Snowboard, SUP, Surf

Sunscreen is a staple in any outdoor, resort, or beachside retail environment—but many retailers are just now waking up to a growing problem: the harmful ingredients hiding inside conventional SPF. For shop owners and buyers trying to align their inventory with...

“Why “Cash Is King” Kills Retail Sales (and Why Credit Card Fees Are Really Marketing Costs)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Oct 11, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Credit Card Processing, Customer Experience, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Credit card customers spend more than cash customers … a lot more. Research shows card users spend 12 to 18 percent more per transaction than those paying with cash. The Federal Reserve found non-cash purchases average more than four...

“What About Brands?” by Jeff Harbaugh via JH & A Market Watch Blog

by admin | Sep 4, 2025 | Industry, News, Opinion, Resources

Many years ago, I wrote a Market Watch column on branding.  I opined that the importance of brands might be declining in the action sports world as products became reliable and similar.  My friend and, at that time, editor Sean O’Brien at Transworld thought...