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 several 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.
“Report shows Outdoor Industry has work to do on its online ADA compliance” by OSI (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
Image of Jon Comer, pioneer of adaptive skateboarding (courtesy of ESPN) Outdoor Sports Insurance evaluated industry sites for compliance EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA (Last Monday marked the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)....
“Opinion: Surfing’s Olympic Debut Deserved World-Class Surf” by Alexander Haro via The Inertia
Medina making the most out of sub-par conditions. Photo: Pablo Jimenez/ISA Well, surfing’s Olympic debut is in the books. It’s done and dusted. Duke Kahanamoku’s dream came to fruition. The best surfers in the world competed for Olympic medals in front of a...
“What the delta variant already means for retail” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
Rapid development and distribution of vaccines promised to halt the pandemic, but new surges brought on by viral mutations threaten progress. A change in mask-wearing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday — urging even vaccinated people...
“American Carissa Moore is the FIRST Olympic women’s surfing champ plus Brazil’s Italo Ferreira wins first surfing gold medal in Olympic history in Tokyo | Tokyo Olympics” via NBC Sports
American Carissa Moore is the FIRST Olympic women's surfing champ | Tokyo Olympics | NBC Sports https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZTY6BfrXbM Four-time World Surf League champion Carissa Moore defeated South Africa's Bianca Buitendag to take home the first women's...
“SKATEBOARDING IS A SPORT, SO NOW WHAT? – I Watched the Olympics and It Wasn’t What I Expected.” by Anthony Pappalardo via Artless Industrial
After being announced in 2016 and delayed a year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, skateboarding made its official Olympic debut on Saturday, July 24, 2021. During the ramp-up, my skate-centric social media channels fell into three buckets: 1. Supportive 2....
“How To Get Employee Sales Training To Stick” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Customers go online to buy - frequently replacement purchases - but go to stores to discover. That moment of discovery needs to be crafted, trained, and rewarded because customers respond to a human trusted advisor more deeply than to any webpage. These days...
“Teenagers Win All 3 Medals In Women’s Street Skateboarding Event” by Leila Fadel via NPR
Momiji Nishiya of Team Japan celebrates during the Women's Street Final on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on Monday at Ariake Urban Sports Park. Patrick Smith/Getty Images TOKYO — Thirteen-year-old Momiji Nishiya dazzled during the Olympic women's...
“A Son of Tokyo Wins Skateboarding’s First Gold” by John Branch via The New York Times plus highlight video of the finals courtesy of NBC Sports
Yuto Horigome of Japan landed three tricks in a row to claim his gold medal. Credit...Alexandra Garcia/The New York Times Yuto Horigome won gold in the men’s street competition only eight miles from where he grew up, and after Nyjah Huston fell four times in a row....
“Kellen James and Jamie Palmore (KJP) | Hickman” via Transworld Skateboarding
Kellen James (owner of Arts and Rec Skate Shop) and Jamie Palmore come together for the first (and hopefully not the only) installment of the KJP (KJ + JP = KJP) series. First spot: Hickman. https://youtu.be/iTABfHbIc-M Guest appearances by:Jimmy Cao, Kyong Kim, Joe...
“NRF: Back-to-School Shopping to Reach Record Levels in 2021” by Melissa Campanelli via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Max Riesgo Consumers plan to spend record amounts for both school and college supplies as families and students plan to return to in-person classrooms this fall, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail...
“10 Customer Service Techniques to Help You Grow Sales” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Customer service techniques should be at the top of your list when you consider how to increase sales in retail. While getting customers into your store comes first, their experience in the store is what makes the sale. Attracting visitors to your store through...
“Facebook rides into Tokyo Games with new skateboarding campaign” by Kendra Clark via The Drum
Just four days before the official kick-off of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, Facebook has launched a new global ad campaign that showcases stories of how Facebook communities and technologies have helped bring together passionate skateboarders and skateboarding fans from...
“Gui Khury outshines Tony Hawk, lands 1080 to win X Games gold” via ESPN and USA Today
https://youtu.be/kQO-k41FJJ8 Push play to view the 1080 degree spinning that earned 12 year old Gui Khury X-Games Gold ESPN Article: Twenty-two years after Tony Hawk became the first skateboarder to land a 900 on a vert ramp at the X Games, Gui Khury made history of...
“Why Contactless Payments Are the Future of Brick-and-Mortar Retail” by Bobby Marhamat via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by dowell The future always promises uncertainty. That said, all indications are that contactless payments are ingrained in brick-and-mortar retail for the long haul. Without massive unforeseen disruption, the COVID-assisted trend towards...
“#PassTheHandle is this Sunday, July 18th!” via WSIA Newsletter
The purpose of #PassTheHandle is to introduce new people to towed water sports. Participants leave feeling energized and eager to get back out on the water.The #PassTheHandle project is a national awareness-driven initiative created by legendary wakeboarders...
“Outdoor Sports Insurance Highlights the Necessity for Board Retailers to Consider Network Security” via OSI (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
For years, Network Security Insurance (commonly referred to as Cyber Liability Coverage) waswidely regarded as a boutique coverage needed only by large corporations who store andprocess large volumes of consumer credit card information. In the later part of the last...
“Vans Skateboarding Welcomes Zion Wright” via Press Release on Shop Eat Surf
Zion Wright earned himself a ticket to Tokyo. Courtesy of Vans Click on the following link to view the newsworthy press release from Vans via Shop Eat Surf: Vans Skateboarding Welcomes Zion Wright Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf website to view valuable...
“Child tax credits an ‘underappreciated’ stimulus that could boost retail: Cowen” by Ben Unglesbee via Retail Dive
Dive Brief: This month, some 39 million households will begin receiving tax credit payments for each child under 18, a new relief program Cowen analysts called an "underappreciated catalyst for consumer spend" in a report this week. The program, part of...
“8 tips and tricks to improve your retail store marketing – If you’re struggling for ideas to improve your retail store marketing, we’ve got you covered. Here are some strategies that help you generate more leads.” via Podium (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
The world we live in is consumer driven and constantly changing. Enticing customers to your retail store with traditional marketing methods (or even online) is growing harder every year. Not only do 51% of Americans prefer to shop online, COVID-19 has moved many...
“Retailers, Take These 9 Actions In Summer For Successful Winter Holiday Sales” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Christmas in July...or August. We’ve all heard the phrase but planning for successful holidays is more important. It’s summer and a lot of retailers need to be thinking about what they will do differently for the upcoming holidays. The good news is Covid is on...
“Is Retail a Career?” by Arick Wierson via The Robin Report
As a four trillion dollar slice of the economy, retail is one of the largest employment sectors in the U.S. Prior to the pandemic, it provided direct and indirect employment to some 52 million workers, second only to the healthcare sector. Many of these jobs – as...
“Back-to-school shopping to rise 9% in 2021: KPMG” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Dive Brief: Back-to-school is just around the corner, and a recent KPMG survey of 1,000 consumers found that shoppers plan to spend $268 per child this year, an uptick from $247 per student in 2020. That's an estimated increase of 9% for back-to-school spend this...
“Trek and Locally Hit the Road Together” by Mike Massey via Locally.com
Consumer Behavior is Changing One of the most inescapable business themes of the past decade is the evolution of consumer shopping behavior. Nearly every business news story about consumers involves the application of new technology to everyday life. Whether it is...
“Digging Deeper Into Skate and Surf Participation Growth” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
Please click on the following link to view this Shop Eat Surf News Article: Digging Deeper Into Skate and Surf Participation Growth Please note that this article is a Shop Eat Surf Executive Edition article so you will need to sign up and pay for access before...
“Skateboarding as an Olympic sport has even some on Team USA feeling conflicted” by Phil McCausland via NBC News
Members of the first U.S. Olympic skateboarding team arrive on their boards for a news conference in downtown Los Angeles on June 21, 2021.Richard Vogel / AP “I think as a community, people were attracted to skateboarding because it was not part of something like the...
“What If We Told You That You Could Protect Your New Surfboard Against Breaks And Dings…” via STAB Magazine
Well, you can. And it starts at just $10 a month. Posted by: STAB What's worse: breaking your new board first session, or watching every person you love getting mauled by a voracious pack of lions? Answer: the lions, but only just. New Board Anxiety is a serious...
“HOW ROOKIE SKATEBOARDS SHAPED WOMEN’S SKATEBOARDING” by JESSIE VAN ROECHOUDT & QUELL SKATEBOARDING via Jenkem Mag
Rookie Skateboards, a downtown Manhattan brand founded by Catharine Lyons and Elska von Hatzfeldt in the mid ’90s, has pioneered so much we see out of skating and streetwear today.While it’s not common to this day, it was even more of an anomaly to have a...
“The Realities of Core Retail at a Time of Huge Demand” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
Tim Kirkpatrick, the owner of Wavelines Surf Snow Skate in San Diego - Photo by SES Click on the following link to view this interesting Shop Eat Surf Article: The Realities of Core Retail at a Time of Huge Demand Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf website to view...
“Why BOPIS and BORIS Will Be the Cornerstone of Retail in 2021” by Dean Frew via Total Retail
The retail industry is a highly competitive, challenging and constantly evolving environment. Customer shopping behaviors are increasingly hard to predict, and retailers must constantly innovate or risk becoming redundant. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has heavily...
“Did you miss the live collaborative BRA X Management One webinar session this week? Not to worry, we recorded it for you!” (view it as well as the previous quarterly M1 webinar on-demand plus access downloadable retail tools here)
Yesterday, Board Retailers Association hosted the second of many relevant and helpful quarterly webinars on a variety of topics in collaboration with BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Management One. “Embracing the New Metrics in Retail: How To Ride the Wave of...
“Retail Sales Training: Ask This Question To Handle Objections” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
When looking to handle objections, you have to ask one more question to really get to the heart of the matter. You’ve heard me say the worst thing you can say when trying to sell something at the end of a sale is Anything Else? That’s because you are...
“RIP: Greg Noll” via Surfing Heritage & Cultural Center (SHACC)
After a life very well lived, Greg Noll, big-wave pioneer, filmmaker, industry leader and inspiration to many, has passed away. “It is with a heavy heart the Noll family announces the death of our patriarch, Greg Noll. Greg died of natural causes on Monday June 28th,...
“‘We’re no longer a photo-sharing app,’ says head of Instagram” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Dive Brief: As multiple social media platforms adapt to shifting user habits, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, recently announced that the app is pivoting away from being primarily a photo-sharing app. Instead, the platform will enhance its features in four...
“Class Is In Session: Examining the Evolution of Surf Schools” by Sam George via The Inertia
It ain’t easy being a newbie. Photo: Tim Marshall//Unsplash Editor’s Note: Welcome to Surf History 101, where we look at innovations in the world of surfing and beyond that changed the pursuit forever. In this edition, Sam George examines the surf...
“Blind & Adaptive Skaters Take Over a Skate Park for the Weekend – A group filled with Ambition, Perseverance, and Grit” by Kelly Anne Walborn
Over the weekend of June 19, 2021, a group of 7 blind skaters and 1 adaptive skater joined forces at Modern Skate Park in Royal Oak, Michigan. Dreaming of getting this group together for several years now blind skater Nick Mullins finally made it happen and...
“5 ‘Tiny, Noticeable Things’ Guaranteed to Build Customer Loyalty” by Adrian Webster via Total Retail
If you're looking to build customer loyalty, there's no simpler nor effective way of doing it then by fully utilizing what I call TNTs. TNTs are "tiny, noticeable things." They're all the little things that we don’t need to do, but when we do do them, they can have a...
“Surging Sales Continue in Surf and Skate Shops” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
Strong sales in the core channel are showing no signs of slowdown as shoppers continue to embrace local retailers and the surf and skate lifestyle. According to the ActionWatch Retail Panel, year-to-date sales are up 89% vs. the same period in 2020. Click on the...
“How To Leave Excuses Behind, Dig In, And Grow Retail Sales” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
As the pandemic ebbs in the USA, a growing number of retailers are finding excuses why they can't move forward with their business as they'd like. We're SO busy. We can't get anyone to work. Our vendors can't ship. We have too many customers. I get it. As I predicted...
“Despite Monthly Decline, May Retail Sales Reach Near-Record Level” by Joe Keenan via Total Retail
Retail sales remained at elevated levels in May despite month-to-month fluctuations that masked near-record performance, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said today. The Commerce Department reported on Tuesday that May retail sales declined 1.3 percent...
“Surfrider Foundation Welcomes Global Celebrations for International Surfing Day” via Surfrider Foundation
The Beach Belongs to Everyone! On Saturday, June 19, the Surfrider Foundation and international affiliates will host events worldwide in recognition of the 17th annual International Surfing Day (ISD) to celebrate the sport of surfing and...
“DISCUSSING SKATEBOARDING WITH NEUROSCIENTIST ANDREW HUBERMAN” by Karl Watson & Rob Fraebel via Jenkem Mag
A few weeks back, Karl Watson introduced us to his friend Andrew Huberman, who is a neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford. Andrew also grew up skating San Francisco’s Embarcadero in its heyday where he met a number of amazing...
“The Post-Pandemic State of Mobile, Part 2: Mobile’s Role in BOPIS and BOPAC” by Alex Campbell via Total Retail
During the pandemic, retailers faced once-in-a-lifetime headwinds, including closed physical locations, limited in-store capacity, slowed shipping times, and a customer that was oftentimes scared to leave the house. As a result, they turned heavily to buy online, pick...
“9 Tips For Hiring And Training Seasonal Retail Sales Employees” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
Let’s be frank when it comes to the seasonality of hiring and training part-time retail employees... All you really care about is that they show up when scheduled and don’t detract from your brand. Your seasonal retail sales employees are there to take a lot of...
“The Electric Acid Surfboard Test Shaper Reveal – Meet the crafty hands behind Mason and Coco’s colorful quiver” via Stab Magazine
Words by Stab. Photos by Ryan Miller It’s a pleasure each time we set out to film the Electric Acid Surfboard Test, pairing surfers with unfamiliar shapers and foreign models, and patiently waiting for unexpected results. Today we’d like to take the time to introduce...
“A pair of 12-year-olds qualify for Olympic skateboarding. So does a 46-year-old” by via NBC Sports & Yahoo Sports
Skateboarding’s Olympic debut will truly be one for the ages. World Skate announced the 80 qualifiers for the Tokyo Games on Wednesday — 20 each for men’s and women’s park and street. The youngest qualifiers are 12 years old — Brit Sky Brown, who turns 13 on...
“LearnWake Trick Tips: Teaching Kids How to Wakeboard – Introducing kids to the sport doesn’t have to be hard or stressful” by LearnWake via Wakeboarding Mag
this https://youtu.be/zaTSI9Vw1Ek It's Friday, and with that we have another great video from our friends at LearnWake. With summer approaching, hopefully teaching others to ride is in your plans. And even more so, we hope some of those learning are children....
“It’s Official: Here’s Who Will Be Surfing at the 2021 Olympic Games – MEET THE 40 OLYMPIANS WHO WILL BE HEADING TO TOKYO IN JULY” via Surfer.com
Over the past week, surfers from all over the world have been duking it out in El Salvador for the chance to compete in surfing’s debut at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Towards the tail-end of 2019, right before the world shut down due to COVID-19, 18 ‘CT athletes...
“Why and how your business should be texting in 2021. – Webinar | June 10th, 2021 @ 1 PM EST” (register here) via Podium
https://youtu.be/o6Y4oKSBs6I The way that consumers communicate is different. No longer will phone and email be a sufficient way to maintain contact and interact with your customers. Today’s consumer is much more comfortable communicating via text or other messaging...
“5 Trends Shaping the Future of Brick-and-Mortar Retail” by Bobby Marhamat via Total Retail
Was it a rough year for many individual retailers? No doubt. We saw too many organizations close their doors in the past year-plus. However, as a whole, brick-and-mortar retail is booming. Total retail sales rose by 6.9 percent in 2020 compared with 2019, per the U.S....
“Retail Pricing Strategies – Six Mistakes To Avoid” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
A retailer must be extremely aware of their pricing strategy to ensure that their pricing is done accurately and in a timely manner. Failure in this seemingly simple matter can lead to all sorts of problems, from unintended “loss leaders” that sap profits, to confused...
“You Won’t Believe the Crap Female Surfers Have to Deal With in Surf Shops” by Naomi Blik via The Inertia
Girls don’t go into surf shops just to buy bikinis. Photo: Naomi Blik. Editor’s Note: The women interviewed for this piece asked to remain anonymous to protect their hard-earned standings in their respective communities. A girl walks into a surf shop and the...
“How to Find Strength In Being A Brick and Mortar Retail Store” by Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor)
This is a post for retailers with physical stores competing with online shopping and technology that threatens their sales. Yes, it has been a year of chaos, but the pandemic in the U.S. is receding. That still doesn't mean you can go back to exactly what you did...
“4 Best Practices for Creating a Social Commerce Experience That Converts” by Elise Stieferman via Total Retail
Online shopping received a serious bump in 2020. So did its offshoot, social commerce. In fact, among the strongest trends in the e-commerce industry, making purchases from social platforms seems to be the one to watch due to its projected year-over-year sales bump...
“Is Your Business Prepared for the Unexpected? – take an inside look at how you can manage risk” by (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner) Outdoor Sports Insurance
Surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding… Boardsports are inherently risky, butthat doesn’t mean we’re going to stop doing them. And for a business, it doesn’t mean the riskcan't be managed. Outdoor Sports Insurance is led by experts in managing such risk....
“SPRING 2021 SKATEPARK CONSTRUCTION GRANT WINNERS ANNOUNCED” by The Skatepark Project
(Vista, CA) – As the nation continues to overcome COVID-19 challenges, locally run skatepark projects are still in progress. Advocates from all over the country are working hard to provide a free and accessible skatepark for their community to enjoy. Out of the...
“Should retailers continue to require associates and customers to wear masks?” by George Anderson with commentary by 38 retail experts via Retail Wire
Americans who have received full doses of COVID-19 vaccines (one or two shots, depending on the manufacturer) and have allowed at least two weeks to pass will now be free to go about their daily activities without wearing a mask. This applies both to outdoor as well...
“V-Shaped Recovery Hockey-Stick Growth – a Year Like No Other In Core Surf & Skate Retail” by Patrik Schmidle via ActionWatch.com
March 2021 sales in US core channel grew +132% vs March 2020 Exactly one year ago core retailers were recovering from an April that saw a roughly 80% year-on-year (YoY) decline. April 2020 was arguably the most difficult month the surf and skate industry has ever had...
“TWS 10: Deadhippie’s Tips For Skating In Your 40s” by Mackenzie Eisenhour via Transworld Skateboarding
Right about when lockdown went into effect here in LA, I started skating more than I have ever skated in my life. It wasn’t so much a plan, but more just out of boredom and mental welfare necessity after being isolated in an apartment with two kids home from school...
“5 signs that retail is going to be OK” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
The industry took a beating last year. Challenges remain, but here are a few indications of retailers' strength. Last year was a challenge like no other for the retail industry. COVID-19 upended people's existence worldwide, threatening human life and undermining the...
BRA Covid-19 Retailer Resource Guide (strategies, webinars, loans and more) – published on March 23, 2020 / last updated with links to recently updated resources on May 14, 2021
Welcome to the BRA COVID-19 Resource Guide. Below you will find resources for the benefit of all board specialty retailers (BRA Retail Members and non-members alike) during this challenging period. The Board Retailers Association is actively aggregating resources to...