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.

“75 Things Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | May 12, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Your payroll is still running even when the floor is empty. Here’s how to make every minute count. Originally, I shared just 50 of these ideas. The response was so strong, I decided recently to expand it. Now there are 75 ways your employees can stay sharp,...

“7 Critical Service Failures Driving Customers Away (And How Training Solves Them)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Apr 28, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

The scene plays out in one of America’s most prestigious department stores: A customer looking to purchase a high-end coat walks the sales floor for 15 minutes. During that time, not a single employee acknowledges him. Some are busy with their phones; others are...

“Save Your Margins: 15 Retail Management Tactics” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Apr 8, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Governmental Affairs, News, Resources, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

All retail chains face a brutal reality in 2025. Your margins are under attack from three directions: Promotion addiction: Your marketing team runs flash sales that train customers to wait for discounts, delivering temporary revenue spikes but permanent margin erosion...

“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...

“50 Actions Retail Employees Can Do When They’re Not Busy” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

by admin | Feb 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing

What to do when your retail employees are standing around during those quiet store moments?Sure, you’re fine with them taking a quick breather after dealing with a demanding customer or wrapping up a task. We all need that. But there’s still that line...

“How Retailers Are Investing in Their Sales Associates” by BOF Insights, McKinsey & Company via Business of Fashion

by admin | Jan 30, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, News, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Sales staff have a valuable role to play in connecting with customers. (Shutterstock) Differentiating the in-store experience is key to reigniting demand for in-person shopping, according to the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2025. Brands can achieve that by empowering...