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.

“Your Associates Passed the Training. So Why Can’t They Sell?” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Apr 9, 2026 | News, Resources, Sales Training

Retail training fails for one reason: it protects associates from failure instead of using it as the mechanism for learning. Videos, quizzes, and microlearning apps improve completion rates but do not change behavior on the floor. The only thing that does is repeated...

“Unlocking AI Tools for Independent Retailers” (including on-demand link to view) by Tiffany Montgomery via SES Outdoor

by admin | Apr 8, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Resources

Shop Eat Surf Outdoor has assembled a panel of independent retailers who will share their personal journeys, their learning curves, and the specific ways they are integrating AI to make their businesses more efficient Register now for Unlocking AI Tools for...

“BRA X Retail Smart Guys: Three Tweaks to Improve Cashlow Webinar” featuring Dan Jablons via BRA YouTube Channel plus new Smart Retailer Scholarship opportunity

by admin | Mar 28, 2026 | Accounting and Business Services, Brick & Mortar, Data Driven Performance, Resources, Retail Strategy, Staffing

screenshot of Doug Works, Executive Director of BRA, and Dan Jablons, President of Retail Smart Guys Did you know that there are three small tweaks (just a 2% change) that you can make to significantly increase your bottom line? Watch this relevant and helpful webinar...

“The Most Valuable Place Left Is One That Doesn’t Know You” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 25, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Resources, Sales Training

It will be a place that has no idea who you are. There is a particular freedom in being unknown. No purchase history following you through the door. No algorithm anticipating your next move. No recommendations based on what people like you tend to buy. Just you,...

“How retailers can leverage their private label marketing advantage over national brands” by Erin Cabrey via Retail Boss

by admin | Mar 16, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Private Label, Resources, Retail Strategy

Private label sales continue to grow, reaching a record $283 billion last year, with sales and unit volume growth outpacing those of national brands. While retailers are often selling private label products that are similar to, or even dupes of,...

“Retail’s AI Wake-Up Call: How Retailers Can Reclaim the Customer Journey” by Adam Brotman via Total Retail

by admin | Mar 9, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, News, Resources, Retail Technologies

Credit: Getty Images by WANAN YOSSINGKUM For decades, retailers have invested heavily in owning the customer relationship. Loyalty programs, first-party data, and personalization engines were all designed to ensure brands, not intermediaries, understand their...