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.

“College Students Develop Device to Save Skiers and Riders Trapped in Tree Wells” by Cooper Gegan via The Inertia

by admin | Jul 3, 2026 | Industry, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Resources, Snowboard

Avalanche beacons are a crucial part of backcountry skiing. However, even if the devices have saved many lives already, we haven’t yet reached the pinnacle (pun intended) of the technology’s potential. Students at OSU Cascades are working to change that, though. As...

“AI Agents Buy Sight Unseen. Salespeople Keep You Off the Wrong One” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor

by admin | Jun 29, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

What an AI shopping agent actually does At Google’s I/O event, the company announced Universal Cart. Here is what it does, in plain terms. An AI agent is not a search box. It is a runner you send out. You tell it what you want, set a budget, and it goes shopping...

“Unlocking Inbound Shipping Success: 5 Must-Have Resources to Overcome Your Challenges” by Leah Palnick via PartnerShip plus expanded BRA Shipping Program Benefit for DRMs

by admin | Jun 23, 2026 | Resources, Retail Strategy, Shipping

When you think about how to optimize your shipping operations, the freight you receive from vendors might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, you have more control over your inbound shipping than you may realize, and when you have the right resources...

“From Clicks to Bricks: Taking Full Advantage of In-Store Pickup” by Grant Gustafson via Total Retail

by admin | Jun 20, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, E-Commerce, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy

Paths to purchase have changed significantly over the past decades, with customer journeys nearly unrecognizable compared to those of the early 2000s. With the internet at their fingertips, shoppers are more informed, connected to brands, and able to discover new...

“A SIT DOWN WITH DOUG WORKS (BRA Executive Director) at CARV EXPO” by Berto via Frank 151

by admin | Jun 16, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Trade Shows

Trade shows are an integral part of the industry. Any industry. At their core, they are about brands meeting and greeting retailers in a structured environment. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? The problem, especially in this decade, has been the disconnect...

“5 Visual Merchandising Tactics That Lift Conversion” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jun 10, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Merchandising, Opinion, Resources, Story Telling

Brazil’s biggest retailer built an AI avatar from scratch and put her on the cover of Vogue Brasil.Her name is Lu. She started as a mascot for Magazine Luiza, grew into 30 million followers, and has since worked with Adidas, Samsung, and McDonald’s. Magalu...