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.


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

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

by | 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

“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 | 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

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

by | 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

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

by | 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...