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 Develop Retail Managers From Within” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jan 5, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, HR, Opinion, Resources, Sales Training

Your store manager is buried. They’re unpacking boxes at 6 AM, fixing the display that nobody else can seem to get right, covering a call-out on the register, and trying to squeeze in interviews for the third assistant manager who quit this year. Meanwhile,...

“How To Decorate Your Retail Store For The Holidays” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Nov 22, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Holiday, News, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Story Telling

Decorating a store is at the heart of great retailing. During these times, it will be the deciding factor in wowing wary shoppers and increasing impulse buying. Various seasonal times and holidays can inspire retailers to create magic for their customers. Young and...

“Why “Cash Is King” Kills Retail Sales (and Why Credit Card Fees Are Really Marketing Costs)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Oct 11, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Credit Card Processing, Customer Experience, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Credit card customers spend more than cash customers … a lot more. Research shows card users spend 12 to 18 percent more per transaction than those paying with cash. The Federal Reserve found non-cash purchases average more than four...

“Your Best Customers Are Forgetting You (While You Send More Emails)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Sep 23, 2025 | Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Direct Mail, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Customer acquisition costs are up 38%, while retention rates keep sliding. Your marketing budget is working harder and delivering less. Your best customer hasn’t walked through the door in three months. Meanwhile, you’re on your 17th email blast… and they forgot about...

“Retailers: In-Store Surveys Lie. Mystery Shops Don’t.” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor

by admin | Aug 27, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

Your customer surveys are lying to you. I know that’s harsh, but it’s true. Those QR codes and website URLs printed on every receipt? The feedback they generate is about as reliable as asking your mother if she likes your cooking. Receipt surveys attract...

“Retail Supply Chains Are Broken – Here’s How Unified Platforms Fix Them” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jul 9, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, News, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies, Sales Training

If you’ve spent any time in Enterprise retail, you’ve seen it: departments that don’t talk to each other, systems that weren’t designed to share data, and a patchwork of bolt-on software that leaves you with more questions than answers.I had a conversation...