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.

“Retail’s AI Taskmaster: Technology Turns Associates into Digital Servants” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Apr 2, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, m-commerce, Resources, Retail Strategy, Social Media

I shared a story last month about a visit to Saks where associates were too engrossed in their smartphones to look up at shoppers. A friend commented they had the same experience and when they asked the manager, they were told, “Oh, they’re clienteling.” First, I...

“The 11 Most Frequent Forms of Retail Employee Fraud” by Arick Wierson via The Robin Report

by admin | Mar 28, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, HR, Industry, News, Retail Crime, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Let’s be honest – when it comes to retail fraud, the online world grabs all the attention – and probably justifiably so. Last year, losses stemming from internet shopping scams and duplicity approached $400 million, according to statistics from the Better Business...

“THREE TWEAKS THAT BRING SIGNIFICANT CASH FLOW” by BRA Advisory Member, Retail Consultant, and remarkable speaker Dan Jablons

by Doug Works | Mar 26, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, News, Resources, Retail Strategy

Retailers often think that the next boost in their business is going to come from finding the next amazing line of merchandise, or discovering a new marketing tool (the next Facebook?).  Sometimes they believe it will happen because they hire a killer...

“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 | Mar 20, 2025 | 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...

“Tariffs Aren’t Your Problem: The Truth About Retail Pricing” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 18, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Clearance Sales / Discounting, Governmental Affairs, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

I don’t care what side of politics you are on, the new administration in its first month in office unleashed waves of uncertainty surrounding the continued funding of federal grants, the work of federal employees and tariffs.  With many retailers already...

“The Retail Buyer’s Dilemma” by Mark Cohen via The Robin Report

by admin | Mar 12, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, News, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy

I’m going to use a loosely analogous reference here to a classic game theory thought experiment known as the Prisoner’s Dilemma. In a nutshell, the Dilemma demonstrates that, in a set of adversarial or confrontational circumstances, everyone involved benefits from a...