Welcome to the Board Retailers Association (BRA) website. Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our BRA Retail Members three or four times per week. Be sure to scroll through the most recent articles or use the Search/Lookup feature in the Menu above to find topics and keywords related to recent and not-so-recent articles that may help you lower costs, increase margins, or create more remarkable customer experiences. We deliberately made this our site landing page to demonstrate our commitment to “Protecting Retailers and a Lifestyle” for over 20 years (since 2003).
Be sure to visit the About Us, Retail Member Benefits and Join pages on this site to learn more about and benefit from our resourceful nonprofit trade association committed to helping board specialty, outdoor specialty, and lifestyle specialty retailers to survive, thrive, and keep “the special in specialty” for free.
“Shopping on Social Media Seen Hitting $1.2 Trillion by 2025” by Martine Paris via Bloomberg
Parcels inside a shipping container at the UPS Worldport facility in Louisville, Kentucky.Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg Shopping on social networks such as Facebook, TikTok and WeChat is going to grow three times faster than sales from traditional...
“East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame Inducts Class Of 2022” via Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) newsletter
Photo: Mez/ESM The East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inducted its esteemed class of 2021 yesterday in a ceremony at Surf Expo in Florida. A star-studded class featuring world champs, matriarchs, shapers and media moguls. Congratulations to all those who’s names are now...
“4 Ways to Manage Your Company’s Online Reputation Without Ads” by Dave Lehman via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Eva-Katalin As you might expect, advertisements don’t win over customers anymore. Why? Consumers are annoyed with ads. And so are marketers — 20 percent to 40 percent of clicks on paid ads are fraudulent. For these...
“Will 2022 be the Year of the Dark Horse in Retail?” by Arick Wierson via The Robin Report
My father grew up on a farm in central Iowa in the 1930s and 40s, and although life in the post-Depression heartland was pretty harsh, among his fondest memories from his childhood are those of his many horses, each one of them different shades of black. As a...
“How To Set A New Direction For Retail 2022” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
The start of a New Year is a good time to assess retail trends and where you’ve been and where you want to go. Otherwise, it can be just the same problems, different day. You have to believe there has to be more to running a retail store than a paycheck. Thank your...
“Watch: How a Snowboard is Made at the Never Summer Factory” by Lucky Lopez via Snowboard Mag
You may want to share the following video with your snowboarding customers: https://youtu.be/JzLR_b2uDHE Since its inception, Never Summer has made all of their snowboards out of their Denver, Colorado HQ. Attached to the offices and showroom is the factory, which is...
“Customers want you but choose Amazon, WHY?” by Dan Pankratz via Exchange Collective blog
70% of Americans Prefer to Shop Local You hear it all the time, “I love your store,” or “I want to support local,” and “I am over Amazon.” But it is no secret that millions of customers are going to Amazon’s market place to shop and buy. But in a survey of 1,500...
“Director Jacob Rosenberg Discusses His Early Work and the Impact of Skate Videos” by Anthony Pappalardo via ONE37pm
Portrait by Brett Simon Video content is the driver of modern skateboarding, but for being so integral, it’s a relatively young medium that’s still evolving. During the 1980s, Stacy Peralta saw the potential and power of video, creating a string of influential...
“Lake Tahoe Breaks Record for Snowfall in December, Closing Resorts and Roads” by Staff writer via The Inertia
Yeah, it’s deep. Photo: Palisades Tahoe It’s safe to say that Lake Tahoe, Calif. is off to a good start for winter. Maybe too good. The region smashed its record snow total for December, receiving a recorded 193.7 inches, topping the previous record of...
“JENKEM PRESENTS: THE 5TH ANNUAL SKATEBOARDING SUPERLATIVES” by James Lee via JENKEM MAG
The world may have exploded twice over in last year but we weren’t really paying attention because 2021 was a historic year for skateboarding. Not only was it the first time that our hobby/sport/whatever was showcased on a worldwide scale, but it was also the year...
“Managing Sales Behaviors to Improve Sales Performance” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
What are sales behaviors? They are a series of actions comprised in a sales process, the way salespeople act and talk with shoppers. It is not as some have said your thought process; it is something specific other sales associates can see or hear you do. For...
“That Fun TikTok Video? It’s Actually an Ad.” by Sapna Maheshwari via The New York Times
Anna Layza is one of many TikTok users making money by advertising products in their videos. Ms. Layza posted an ad that involved wearing a unicorn onesie and retrieving a box of cookies at Target. Credit...Todd Anderson for The New York Times Brands are flocking to...
“Help Wanted” by Pam Danziger via The Robin Report
In advance of the holiday season, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported retailers will hire between 500,000 and 665,000 seasonal workers in November and December. At least some of retail’s 8.5 percent to 10.5 percent projected growth for holiday sales is...
“Retailers: Here’s How to Manage Your December Cash Flow” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
When it comes to cash flow at the end of a year for most retailers, it is very easy to be overwhelmed. During a pandemic with supply chain disruptions, the threat of shutdowns, and limited occupancy it's easy to miss the basics of December financial management....
“Four Retail Lessons from the Hospitality Sector” by Robin via The Robin Report
It’s no coincidence that people have a love affair with cooking shows, and I’m certainly no exception. Whether I’m scrolling through Netflix, Hulu, FuboTV, or even the Travel Channel, a wide variety of chefs are ready to take viewers on a journey from individual...
“We Reviewed The Best Women’s Wetsuits for 2022” by Rebecca Parsons via The Inertia
Interested in staying warm? Look no further. Kelin Victoria Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Inertia. Find out more about us and explore some of our archives here. Wetsuits are both the biggest blessing and curse of surfing. They keep us...
“GROUND GLASS: MARK SUCIU” by James Thompson via Jenkem Mag
2021 SOTY = Mark Suciu https://youtu.be/aVpvvB66_Xk Everyone loves to say contests and awards don’t carry any weight in skateboarding, but every year, skaters seem to give a lot of weight to Thrasher’s Skater of the Year award. “SOTY Season” gives us a lot...
“Gen Zers relied on buy now, pay later during the holidays. It’s time to pay up.” by Maria Monteros via Retail Dive
ViewApart via Getty Images What may be a beneficial feature to retailers poses risks to young consumers who've increasingly flocked to installment services. The busiest days of the holiday shopping season may be over, but some young consumers have yet to pay their...
“12 Secrets of a Successful 2021 Holiday Season for Retail Managers” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Taking on retail manager responsibilities is a big job at any time but especially during the holidays. Making an awful lot of people happy at the holidays doesn't happen unless you have already put the effort in with your own team. When I was in college, I worked...
“Are skateboarders really solving the world’s problems, one trick at a time?” by David Wharton via Los Angeles Times
Members of the Aunt Skatie crew gather at the South Pasadena Skate Park on Nov. 14.(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) The women keep their distance. At first. Dressed in T-shirts and sneakers, skateboards in hand, they stand by a chain-link fence, talking,...
“Bettylou Sakura Johnson Bests Carissa Moore to Win Haleiwa Challenger, 2022 CT Rookie Class is Set” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
Bettylou Wins Haleiwa Photo: Tony Heff/WSL No better way to start your rookie season than by beating the best of the best. And 16-year-old North Shore local Bettylou Sakura Johnson did just that yesterday in the finals of the Haleiwa Challenger, overcoming...
“SIMA Announces Vipe Desai as New Executive Director” press release via Shop Eat Surf
PRESS RELEASES | Published Dec 7, 2021 - Reposted with permission from Vipe Desai of SIMA Orange County, CA (December 7, 2021) – The Board of Directors of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) are excited to announce the appointment of industry...
“With omicron landing in the US, do retailers actually need the vaccine mandate?” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
andreswd via Getty Images The National Retail Federation won a stay against the government's plan to have big companies immunize or test their employees. That squanders a chance to thwart the pandemic, experts say. As the omicron variant of COVID-19 made headlines...
“How to Improve Talent Retention This Holiday Season” by Dr. Natalie Baumgartner via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by Drazen Retail workers are leaving their jobs at a record pace, with 721,000 workers quitting in August alone, maintaining an industry high for employee turnover since April. What’s more, employers in the retail space that were already...
“Retail Sales Training: Pepper Your Presentation to Remove Insecurity” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Ever been at a great dinner and used the salt instead of the pepper? The whole entree is ruined. This retail sales training blog is about peppering your approach to avoid the salt of insecurity. A colleague of mine, Carol Spiekerman posted this on her blog. I...
“Concerns over omicron could shift spending away from experiences, retail trade group says” by Melissa Repko via CNBC
A person with a hand full of shopping bags walks by as Black Friday sales begin at The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass in Simpsonville, Kentucky, November 26, 2021.Jon Cherry | Reuters KEY POINTS National Retail Federation CEO Matt Shay said Tuesday that the new...
“Jump on Board with Locally” by Calista Tufankjian
Come ride the Locally wave Are you Looking for a new way to connect brands and shoppers? Locally is your answer. Locally is a dynamic store and product locator company with thousands of retailers integrated providing shoppers with nearby, in stock products...
“The Future of Surf Pools” by Dashel Pierson via Surfline.com
Anyone with even the faintest interest in surfing can likely remember where they were, what they were doing, when the first video of Kelly Slater’s wavepool dropped. (I was on the couch, soaking in the reality of Adriano de Souza’s World Title win, which...
“Investing in Associates is Good for Business” by Rob Klitsch via Total Retail
The tide is turning in retail. Despite staff and supply shortages that may burden shoppers and encumber stores during the holiday season, signs of growing optimism for the future abound. While last year the industry underwent a scourge of bankruptcies and...
“Virgil Abloh dies at 41” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
Courtesy of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Dive Brief: Fashion designer Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-White and artistic director for men's at Louis Vuitton, died on Sunday. He was 41.Abloh had been undergoing treatment for a rare and aggressive cancer, cardiac...
“How To Use Email Marketing To Increase Retail Sales In December” by Bob Phibbs (the Retail Doctor)
Are you looking for how to use email marketing in December to lure holiday shoppers back to your store again and again? You've come to the right place for ideas. Customers are out there shopping for a once-in-a-generation spending spree, but how focused are you on...
“HALF OF HOLIDAY GIFT SPENDING WILL BE SPENT ON GIFT CARDS” via Industry Resource
People around the world plan to spend more on holiday gifts this year, and more of that spending is targeted at gift cards according to the 2021 Global Holiday Shopping Forecast released by global branded payments provider Blackhawk Network. The report...
“Selema Masekela Talks About Mami Wata’s Mission to Redefine Surf Lifestyle” by Will Seleo via The Inertia
Mami Wata seeks to change the global perception of African surf culture through establishing itself as a major brand in the surf lifestyle space. Photo: Mami Wata. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1dZ4N2-x58&feature=emb_imp_woyt Brands, and especially clothing...
“6 Essential Strategies to Make Your Holiday Creative Stand Out” by Polly Wong via Total Retail
In case you missed it, the holidays are in full swing. Media outlets have started reporting on the top toys for the season, Amazon.com is moving up Black Friday to start now (!), and the threat of supply chain snarls and shipping delays are...
“ICSC: 86% of consumers will shop over Thanksgiving weekend” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
image by Libby Penner Dive Brief: As shoppers prepare for the busiest shopping weekend of the year, a new report from ICSC predicts that consumers will spend $491 on average between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, bringing in a total of over $108 billion for the...
“How To Determine If Your Employee Scheduling Is Too Lean” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Almost every retailer looks at employee scheduling as their most expensive operating cost. I see employees as an asset, not a liability, but that’s another post... Stores that were designed to run on six employees are now limping along on two...or even one. How do...
“TikTok usage surpassed Instagram this year among kids aged 12 to 17, Forrester survey says” by Salvador Rodriguez via CNBC
Adam Mosseri speaks onstage at the WIRED25 Summit 2019 - Day 1 at Commonwealth Club on November 08, 2019 in San Francisco, California.Matt Winkelmeyer | Getty Images KEY POINTS More Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 are using TikTok than Instagram on a weekly...
“Your In-Store Customer Experience and Bottom Line Are Linked. Here’s Why” by Bobby Marhamat via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Maskot Regardless of retail’s latest headwind, brick-and-mortar organizations continue to embrace their enduring mission: get consumers into retail locations and convince them to part with their money. The emphasis on e-commerce over the past...
“The Big-Wave Season Officially Opens for Jaws and Nazaré” by Alexander Haro via The Inertia
Big wave season is open. Grab your big wave guns. Photo: WSL/Bryanna Bradley On November 15, the World Surf League’s Big Wave season window officially opened. Two of the most exciting events in all of surfing are on standby for the next few months: the Quiksilver...
“Top 5 KPIs for Actionable Retail Decisions” by RICS Software (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a measurement of business performance and health. The best KPIs help you make decisions and take action towards achieving your goals. At a minimum, we recommend you review these Top 5 KPIs for Actionable Retail Decisions weekly,...
“The Jobs Problem In Retail Isn’t What You Think” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Much is being written about people quitting and the Great Resignation. People quit all the time and oftentimes find the grass isn't always greener. But the jobs problem in retail isn't what others are telling you. I was in Manhattan last week shopping and enjoying a...
“GROUND GLASS: BRAD CROMER” by James Thompson via Jenkem Mag
Over the last few years we’ve seen a few videographers include 16mm film in their edits. While it’s common to see a couple of seconds of b-roll or a trick thrown in as an artsy break, very few attempt to capture an entire video on film. At $50 a minute, you’re at the...
“Vans Marketing Executive on the Evolution of the Triple Crown of Surfing” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
John John Florence, who won the digital Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in men's in 2020 - Photo by Ryan Miller courtesy of Vans Click on the following link to view this interesting Shop Eat Surf Article: Vans Marketing Executive on the Evolution of the Triple Crown...
“Why Retailers Should Focus on Online Reviews to Improve Credibility and Drive More Sales” by Heidi Sullivan via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Kiyoshi Hijiki It’s not a novel concept anymore, but in an age of instant gratification when consumers have all the information they need right at their fingertips — and at a moment’s notice — many retail businesses are finding that sometimes...
“Retailers Future-Proof the In-Store Experience with Digital Precision” by Steve Mauchline and Min Chen
Lately, though, this “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” mindset has gone by the wayside more frequently than is ideal. We know that the most enjoyable and exciting shopping experiences happen when it’s clear that associates care not just about the retail and...
“How To Prepare For Small Business Saturday Nov 27” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Small businesses have survived the judgment made about them as “non-essential” and now there is a groundswell of support for them this Small Business Saturday that didn’t exist just a few years ago. We collectively woke up and realized it really mattered that we chose...
“How to Create One Connected System for your Retail Store” by RICS Software (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
As businesses grow, the importance of system integration grows with it. Without it, you lose time and money. System integration is connecting software applications allowing them to talk to each other and act as one coordinated platform. Top retailers have found ways...
“No Retention Without Reward: It’s Time to Revolutionize the Way Retail Workers Are Compensated” by Jake Levin via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Ryan J. Lane COVID-19 created a shakeup for retailers in all categories across the U.S., with brick-and-mortar operations undergoing some of the most significant operational changes they've ever faced. Sales associates have also felt the brunt...
“What should retailers do about angry reviews?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
A university study finds that while the general assumption is that an abundance of helpful reviews — whether positive or negative — is ultimately more influential in driving purchases, anger in negative reviews is not helpful. Across six laboratory...
“Brainfloss: Steve Caballero” via Transworld Skateboarding
Push Play to view this remarkable video article Stevie Cab, over 40 years deep as a pro. But did you know he’s been making art the whole time as well? We wanted to shine a light on one of Cab’s many talents. From comic books and hot rod...
“Learn How to Increase Sales in Retail with These 8 Pro Tips” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Looking for resources on how to increase sales in retail during a pandemic? The key is to realize in many ways, brick-and-mortar retailers have a finite client base. After all, there are only so many people who will be willing to walk into your store with or without a...
“Sierra Kerr’s Air Game is Turning Heads – AND SHE’S ONLY 14 YEARS OLD” via Surfer Mag
If you’re wondering what the future of surfing will look like, turn your eyes upon the jaw-dropping compilation below and you’ll get a solid glimpse of the progression that lies ahead. Fourteen-year-old Sierra Kerr (offspring of Tour vet and airshow standout Josh...
“4 Ways to Power Touchless Retail with Text Messaging” by Podium (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
Companies from Amazon to Zoom are rethinking their customer experience in the post-COVID era. See how innovative retailers are responding with text-based messaging, touchless payments, and more. COVID-19 has completely transformed consumer behavior. 85% of...
“Local Olympian Hosts Women’s Skate Event, Raises Money for Survivors of Domestic Violence” by Katie Lane via NBC
TOKYO, JAPAN: Amelia Brodka of Poland competes during the Women’s Skateboarding Park Preliminary Heat on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on August 04, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) La Paloma Theatre...
“NRF PREDICTS HIGHEST HOLIDAY RETAIL SALES ON RECORD” via Industry Resources
Holiday spending has the potential to shatter previous records, as the National Retail Federation today forecast that holiday sales during November and December will grow between 8.5 percent and 10.5 percent over 2020 to between $843.4 billion and $859...
“Why Your Selling And Training Methods Don’t Work…And The Simple Fix” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
It has been said that no one likes to wait. Yet stores that have a long line tend to attract even more people to wait because they feel it must be worth it.Few of us like it when someone has power over us. Think The doctor will see you now or You’ll...
City of Huntington Beach Becomes 100th West Coast Municipality to Pass a Resolution Opposing New Offshore Drilling by Surfrider Foundation via Shop Eat Surf
River Jetties Huntington Beach credit Mona Haddad with Surfrider Foundation” Huntington Beach, Calif., October 20, 2021— Today, the Surfrider Foundation and ocean advocates are celebrating a significant victory after the City of Huntington Beach became the...
“Retailers Must Find a Way to Keep Pace With Emerging Instagram, TikTok Trends” by Adrien Nussenbaum via Total Retail
In December 2020, a Scottish mailman named Nathan Evans uploaded a video to TikTok singing a 19th Century sea shanty called “Wellerman.” Within days, his rendition of a more-than-200-year-old song was shared worldwide, leading to countless online collaborations,...
“Why Retailers Should Display Christmas Merchandise Before Halloween” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Why do retailers put out Christmas merchandise before Halloween? Because customers buy it. It's that time of the year ... Time for the leaves to change and drop... Corn mazes to sprout up... Pumpkin spice lattes... and the perennial favorite of writers...
“‘Surfer Susie’ Is the Most Stoked 74-Year-Old Surfer on the Planet” by Rebecca Parsons via The Inertia
Surfer Susie in her element. Photo: Courtesy of Susie Terry You’d be hard pressed to find someone more stoked on surfing than Susie Terry. Born and raised in Ventura, Calif., Susie (now known as “Surfer Susie”) was first intrigued by the idea of riding waves...