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 To Set A New Direction For Retail 2024” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jan 1, 2024 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Merchandising, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Returns, Sales Training

The start of a New Year is a good time to assess where you’ve been and where you want to go. Otherwise, it can be just the same problems on a different day.Most of us are good at seeing what we didn’t accomplish. Many throw up their hands and say, “Good...

“Uber adds store pickup, reindeer robot delivery for the holidays” by Erin Cabrey via Retail Brew

by admin | Dec 8, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, News, Retail Technologies, Returns

Image courtesy of Uber The new service grows Uber’s reach beyond the delivery and rideshare service’s current retail partners. This week, Uber announced a series of new features to deliver convenience and a little holiday spirit to its consumers. The rideshare and...

“2024 Brings Higher Shipping Costs: FedEx and UPS Rates on the Rise” by Jen Deming of BRA Partnership Shipping Program

by admin | Nov 15, 2023 | Associate Members, Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Returns, Shipping

Get ready for a hit to your shipping budget in 2024 as FedEx and UPS plan to bump up their rates by an average of 5.9%. But don’t be fooled by that number alone. Thanks to various fees and other adjustments, your actual shipping costs will likely rise even...

“Uncertainty around UPS is ‘kryptonite’ to supply chains, RILA warns” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive plus link to enroll in BRA FedEx PartnerShip Discount Shipping Program

by admin | Jul 20, 2023 | Holiday, News, Resources, Returns, Shipping

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien speaks during national contract negotiations with UPS. The Retail Industry Leaders Association urged the two sides to strike a deal in order to avoid risk to supply chains and the economy. Permission granted by...

“Retailers’ Attempts To Dissuade Returns May Impact Brand Loyalty” by Alicia Thorpe via Retail Wire

by admin | Jul 18, 2023 | Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Debate, News, Omnichannel, Returns

The tension between retailers and shoppers is growing, and it’s because of returns. Shippo, a leading shipping platform for growing e-commerce businesses, has come out with a 2023 Benchmarks Report that “takes a comprehensive look at how mid-market...

“Will Customers Shop Somewhere Else If Retailers Charge For Returns?” by George Anderson plus 40 Retail Experts Weigh In via Retail Dive

by admin | Jun 1, 2023 | Apparel /Fashion, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Debate, E-Commerce, Retail Strategy, Returns

New research suggests that retailers should think twice before charging customers for returning online purchases. Eighty-seven percent of shoppers in a survey of 9,286 adults in the U.S. by PowerReviews said they “would be at least a little likely to stop...