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.

“Pharrell Just Made Surf the Coolest Thing in Paris. Surf Industry Leaders Weigh In.” by Tiffany Montgomery via SES Outdoor

by admin | Jun 26, 2026 | Apparel /Fashion, News, Opinion, Story Telling, Surf

Photos courtesy of Louis Vuitton. Pharrell Just Made Surf the Coolest Thing in Paris. Surf Industry Leaders Weigh In. SESO asked Pat Tenore of Tenore, Ryan Hitzel of Roark, Evan Slater of Sun Bum, Candy Harris of Unlisted Brand Lab, Ryan Mangan of Quiksilver and...

“5 Visual Merchandising Tactics That Lift Conversion” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jun 10, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Merchandising, Opinion, Resources, Story Telling

Brazil’s biggest retailer built an AI avatar from scratch and put her on the cover of Vogue Brasil.Her name is Lu. She started as a mascot for Magazine Luiza, grew into 30 million followers, and has since worked with Adidas, Samsung, and McDonald’s. Magalu...

“SURF EXPO’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY: WHAT BRAND MARKETERS AND SPONSORS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO” by Roy Turner via the SightlineLive.com blog

by admin | Jan 31, 2026 | Community, News, Outdoor, Resources, Skateboard, Story Telling, Surf, Surf Expo, Trade Shows

Surf Expo kicked off its 50th anniversary with a high-energy January edition that reinforced its role as the leading global marketplace for watersports and coastal lifestyle brands. A 15% increase in retail company attendance translated into...

“How to Train Retail Associates to Ask Why Questions Instead of What Questions” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Jan 23, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Educational Opportunity, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training, Staffing, Story Telling

The laziest way to attempt to sell something in a retail store is to let your associates ask “what” questions. What product do you need? What size? What color? What price range? It’s what I call the “let’s cut to the chase” way of...

“How The North Face, Vans and Timberland are trying to transform their businesses in 2026” by Julia Waldow via Modern Retail

by admin | Jan 15, 2026 | Industry, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Predictions, Skateboard, Story Telling

The North Face Apparel and outdoors giant VF Corp is revealing more details of its growth playbooks for three of its core brands: The North Face, Vans and Timberland. The company, which recently reported a 2% rise in revenue for its second fiscal quarter,...

“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...