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.
“Holiday Rebound: Apparel Retailers Drive Sales With Flexible Payment Options” by PYMNTS.com via link from The Robin Report
Many American consumers are feeling the financial squeeze as the holiday shopping season goes on and will be turning to flexible spending plans to help put them at ease. More merchants are embracing buy now, pay later (BNPL) options to allow consumers to pay in four...
“Help Strengthen Our Water Sports Industry by Sharing this Universal Content” via WSIA Newsletter
For years, the Water Sports Foundation (WSF) has been developing boating safety content in collaboration with the United States Coast Guard in order to touch on key safety issues and work to change boaters' behavior on the water. This content is available for all who...
“How To Convert Holiday Shoppers Into Loyal Year Round Customers” by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
It is so important to convert holiday shoppers into loyal customers because you have so many more bodies walking through your doors after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. When I was starting out as a retail manager, I had a new sales guy who was killing it two weeks in...
“Skate & Create, Street Edition” via Transworld Skateboarding (updated on Nov. 30th)
Transworld Skateboarding is proud to announce the return of Skate & Create, Street Edition. Four teams. Four original concepts. One month in the streets. https://youtu.be/ydogZJ54TV0 Skate & Create 2020 Promo Transworld Skateboarding is proud to...
“What a vaccine could mean for retail” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
Originally posted on November 10, 2020 then updated. On Monday morning, when VF Corp. announced that it will plunk down more than $2 billion to snag streetwear favorite Supreme for its portfolio, the apparel conglomerate probably thought it would count as retail's...
“Brick and Mortar: The Original Marketplace” by Dan Pankratz via PropagandaHQ.net
Brick and mortar retailers are the original marketplace for brands to sell to the end customer. It’s not news that this is changing and changing fast. It feels like new online marketplaces are popping up almost daily. As brands are looking for more ways to sell...
“Torey Pudwill and Chris Haslam | LARVIKITE LINES” via Transworld Skateboarding
https://youtu.be/RnrUUjcmv6Y Click to view this remarkable story. When the opportunity arose to visit Lundhs Real Stone quarry and create a permanent Larvikite skatepark for the town’s skate scene, Torey Pudwill, Chris Haslam and Angelo Caro flew in to link up with...
“JENK TV: CONSTRUCTING A SKATEBOARD OUT OF SODA BOXES” by IAN MICHNA & ROB FRAEBEL via Jenkem Mag
Welcome back to Jenk TV! For this episode, we tried to get DIY with it and build our own skateboard deck out of trash scraps. Our intern Bechara was inspired by the ongoing hardgoods shortage and wanted to see if he could make a deck...
” The Inertia Wetsuit Guide 2020″ by staff via The Inertia
Editor’s Note: The 2020 Wetsuit Guide is powered by our featured partners. The air is getting cold. So is the water. The difference between good and bad rubber is about to get real. It’s the difference between pain and comfort. The suits featured in The...
“Adidas and Nike Trim Wholesale and Skate Shops Object” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
Please click on the following link to view this Shop Eat Surf News Article: Adidas and Nike Trim Wholesale and Skate Shops Object 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...
“VF snaps up Supreme for $2.1B, eyes brick-and-mortar expansion” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
Dive Brief: VF Corp. on Monday said it has a deal to acquire streetwear brand Supreme for $2.1 billion, expected to close later this year, according to an investor presentation. Supreme founder James Jebbia and the brand's senior leadership team will stay with the...
“TAMPA AM PRESENTS: GLOBAL AMDEMIC ” via link on Skatepark of Tampa website
Watch the Global AMdemic Finals featuring the top Ams from over 500 entries from around the world, battling it out for Tampa Am spots, bragging rights and a $1,000 cash prize. Plus Independent Best Trick with feedback from judges Kelly Hart, Kelvin Hoefler, and Mike...
“SHACC Launches Educational Resources and Digital Tour” by Glenn Brumage via info from SHACC Newsletter
For all those surf shops, educators and parents out there looking to enrich the lives of customers, students and children, the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) in San Clemente, CA is proud to be able to support you with the newly launched Educational...
“Report confirms outdoor recreation is crucial to national and state economies” by Andrew Weaver via SNEWS
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released its annual report that lays out the importance of the outdoor recreation economy in hard data. The numbers are in. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) came out with its annual report today...
“The puzzle of inventory during the pandemic” by Andrew Weaver via SNEWS
2020 has been a year of supreme uncertainly for specialty retail. Empty shelves, cancelled orders, and lopsided demand have forced shop owners to get creative to meet customers' needs. Here's what several retail owners say about the challenges they've faced. "If...
“Surf Expo to Hold In-Person Show in January” via Surf Expo PR on Shop Eat Surf
PRESS RELEASES | Published Nov 2, 2020 Surf Expo, the premier watersports and beach lifestyle tradeshow announce today that their upcoming January 6-8, 2021 show will take place in the West Concourse of the Orange County Convention...
“Postmates looks to solve local retail’s last mile” by Tom Ryan of Retail Wire
Postmates, the Uber-owned on-demand delivery platform, has introduced a new service supporting the last-mile needs of local retailers. Under the program, Shop, local retailers create a virtual storefront on Postmates’ app, where they’ll be able to...
“10 Easy Ways to get Customer Reviews that Boost Retail Sales” by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor
Customer reviews are very influential and can increase your sales more than marketing with a paid ad but can be hard to get. Here’s 10 proven tips to get customers to review your business online. There’s nothing shoppers consider buying without asking a friend,...
“Retail how-to: 5 tips for battling showroomers” by Carolyn Webber via SNEWS
Sure, price-shopping consumers can save a few dollars by buying from big e-tailing sites, but brick and mortar specialty shops can do more to capture those sales and create a long-term, loyal customers in the process. When you see a customer price-shopping in your...
“A Very Unequal Recovery: The New Face of Retail Darwinism” (plus links to relevant M1 webinars) by Marc Weiss – CEO, Management One
Initially, the outcome was unexpected. But as summer turned into fall, and as fall moves into holiday, we now know with certainty that Indie retailers are experiencing a very unequal recovery. At Management One, we have been tracking data by location every day since...
“CSEF Is Bridging Skateboarding and Higher Education” interview via Malakye.com
Keegan Guizard literally skated through college. He was an inspired student at North Carolina State University who founded a collegiate skate tour and then shortly after college he co-founded The College Skateboarding Educational Foundation (CSEF) with...
“Cooper talks to Tony Hawk about life in quarantine” interview by Anderson Cooper via CNN
Anderson Cooper talks to Tony Hawk about life in quarantine - CNN Video Anderson Cooper speaks to skateboarding legend Tony Hawk about life during the coronavirus pandemic. Watch "Full Circle" every Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 6pm E.T. www.cnn.com...
“Prime Day vs Election Day” by Dan Pankratz (Co-Founder of the Exchange Collective) via Building The Revolution
With Covid now in its 8th month and what could be Americas most debated presidential elections less than a month away, we are now faced with another decision that can change life as we know It.—- PRIME DAY. You might think voting for a Career Politician, a...
“The Black Surfing Association is Empowering Black Youth in Rockaway -PADDLING OUT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY WITH NEW YORK’S LOU HARRIS” by Owen James Burke via Surfer Magazine (from the final issue)
This feature originally appeared in SURFER Volume 61, Number 3. Since that issue’s release, due to the impact of the pandemic on SURFER’s business, the staff has been furloughed indefinitely and all content production has been paused. Hopefully SURFER will one day...
“Skate Shop Day” happens on Feb. 19th – Letter from Chris Neiratko of NJ, FAQs & more
We are re-posting the following information (FAQs and more) about Skate Shop Day with the following letter from NJ Skate Shop Owner, BRA Distinguished Retail Member and co-founder of Skate Shop Day, Chris Nieratko addressed to skate brands: Hello new and old friends,...
“How Can Surfcare Help My Surf Shop?” via BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Surfcare
Surfcare brochures on display at Rip Curl San Clemente. Shop employees share Surfcare with every perspective customer buying a new board. Surfcare’s Surfboard Protection Plans Can Help Your Board Shop Increase Sales & Customer Loyalty Customers want to feel...
“Venmo pilots Business Profile feature to showcase small businesses” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Dive Brief: Venmo announced that it launched Business Profiles, a feature which allows small businesses to create profiles and accept payments for their goods and services.With the payment platform's Business Profiles feature, sellers can accept contactless payments,...
“Tune in with Doug Works from Board Retailers Association” – interview conducted by Vipe Desai of PropagandaHQ.net
Doug Works, Executive Director of the Board Retailers Association shared updates with Vipe Desai on what the organization is doing to help its retail members and also shared insights as to how retailers are managing during the pandemic. Click on the...
“Bike, Powder, Snowboarder, and Surfer magazines to cease publication indefinitely – The four titles will “pause” operations in the coming months and furlough employees without pay.” by ANDREW WEAVER via SNEWS
Four of the outdoor industry's oldest print magazines—Bike, Powder, Snowboarder, and Surfer—will cease publication indefinitely this year, according to multiple sources at the brands' parent company, A360 Media. TransWorld SKATEboarding,...
“SURFER Magazine Just Published Its Last Issue” by Zach Weisberg via The Inertia
The first and last covers of Surfer Magazine. According to SURFER Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Todd Prodanovich, issue number three of volume 61 will be the iconic publication’s final issue. Prodanovich posted the announcement on Instagram this morning...
“Pacifico Presents Downtown Open Live Oct 8th” via Transworld SKATEboarding
https://youtu.be/GRy2PjiLutE Pacifico Downtown Open Live Recap Video (updated 10/9/20) Pacifico Clara® Beer Presents the Downtown Open S.K.A.T.E. ChampionshipA VIRTUAL HANDRAIL & STAIR SET S.K.A.T.E. COMPETITION BROADCASTED LIVE FROM CHICAGO...
“Trestles Has Been Saved (For Good, This Time) – AB 1426 PERMANENTLY PROTECTS SAN O STATE BEACH FROM ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS” by Owen James Burke via Surfer Magazine
A near two-decades-long battle to permanently protect San Onofre State Beach from road development came to an end on Friday night when California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1426, prohibiting the development of any roadway(s) that might impact or...
“Rest In Peace Keith Hufnagel – Words and photos from the skate world remembering our icon” via Transworld Skateboarding
Keith was the embodiment of raw East Coast power. His pop, style, and speed influenced the 90s generation and beyond. His skate career had no end in sight. He was a global icon. As a veteran on Real and with his own brand HUF, he mentored some of the greatest skaters...
“The Untapped Opportunity That COVID-19 Created for Store Associates” by Oscar Sachs via Total Retail
The retail landscape looks completely different today compared to the beginning of 2020. COVID-19 has caused stores to shut down and employees to be furloughed. Retailers were already challenged before the pandemic began, and now many consumers are wary of returning...
“Jeremy Jones Talks About ‘Purple Mountains’ and Finding Political Common Ground on Climate Change” by Will Sileo of The Inertia
According to the film’s description, Purple Mountains is, “One man’s journey to find common ground in the mountains — one voter at a time.” That one man is snowboarding legend Jeremy Jones. Jones is one of the greatest freeriders of all time, helping to...
“What Does the Reaction to Tyler Wright’s Stand Say About Surfers? SURF CULTURE, RACIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL MEDIA’S POISON PILL” by Todd Prodanovich via Surfer Mag
Photo Credit: Ryan MillerTyler Wright, standing up for Black lives on her way to victory at the Tweed Coast Pro. On Sunday morning during the WSL’s Tweed Coast Pro pandemic-era specialty event, two-time world champion Tyler Wright made the biggest news (see: only...
“Do you know what your missing?” by Dan Pankratz of Exchange Collective
When only 23% of US retailers use people counting devices to measure traffic, how do you know what you are missing? Reports from Footfall and ShopVisible state that only an average of 20% of your stores traffic will make a purchase, meaning 80% of your traffic...
“SES to Interview Industry Leaders During Surf Expo Connect” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
Clockwise from top left: Paul Naude, CEO of Stokehouse and owner of Vissla, Amuse Society and Sisstrevolution; Linsey and Karly Cottrell, who own Island Water Sports with their brother, Cheyne; Pura Vida Founders Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall; and Patrik Schmidle of...
“African Kids From São Tomé Build Their Own Skateboards By Hand A True Skateboard Story” | Interview With Photographer Greg Ewing by Jaime Owens via Transworld Skateboarding
Last week, an image of some barefooted kids riding on very primitive looking, makeshift skateboards went viral across the skate “social-verse”. It instantly put a smile on your face like, “Yes! This is amazing. And where is this from?” The picture captured the raw and...
“MY DOORS ARE OPEN and I survived the summer…NOW WHAT??” by Dave Seehafer of Global Wave Ventures
Now that summer is over, I’ve been chatting with specialty retailers across the nation on ways to boost profits, manage inventory & orders, keep customers coming through the doors and much more, as we head into 4th quarter. With uncertain consumer spending, retail...
“Democratizing retail is all about broad participation” by Mike Massey Founder / CEO of Locally
My partners and I started Locally 5 years ago with a vision of helping online shoppers find and complete their purchases with their favorite nearby stores. We saw that consumer behavior was shifting to online product research and feared that local stores would...
“Should retailers get their workers and customers out to vote?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
Retailers have at least three paths to join in on the upcoming elections: giving their employees time off to vote, encouraging customers to go to the polls and selling election merchandise. More than 700 companies, including Walmart, Macy’s, Starbucks and Nike,...
“Roy Turner on How Virtual Surf Expo Will Work, Committed Brands” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
Please click on the following link to view this relevant Shop Eat Surf Article about this month's Surf Expo connect Virtual Show from the perspective of Surf Expo Show Director, Emerald SVP and OG BRA Founder: Roy Turner on How Virtual Surf Expo Will Work, Committed...
“Why A Protection Plan for Surfboards Might Be The Next Big Thing” by Vipe Desai via PropagandaHQ.net
Challenging times are prime for innovation and during the pandemic and it's great to see new ideas find their way into the industry. One new innovation that caught my attention was Surfcare, the world’s first surfboard protection plan. Where if your board...
“SKATERS RECOMMEND THEIR FAVORITE SKATE PANTS” via Jenkem Mag
While it’s nearly impossible to remember all the skating you see everyday across your screens, something that never gets by us is a good pair of pants. We’ve been guilty of freeze-framing clips just to screenshot a pair of perfectly baggy pants or a pair that falls...
“How Retailers Can Compete in a Free Shipping World” from Retail Right Now Podcast by Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham via Total Retail
How Retailers Can Compete in a Free Shipping World Click the link above to view this episode In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham discuss Total Retail’s latest research report, How to Make Free Shipping Profitable....
“Facebook adds shopping section, expands Instagram checkout” by Robert Williams via Mobile Marketer
Brief: Facebook added a shopping section to its main social networking app and plans to offer more software tools to help businesses set up online stores. Facebook Shop is a dedicated place for merchants to show product catalogs to shoppers who can buy items directly...
“Surfboard Insurance Is Now A Thing – An Ingenious Idea To Insure Your Stick Against Breaks, Dings And Damage” by ZANDER MORTON via Surfer Mag
New surfboards, as we all know, are expensive. And, unfortunately, they’re also easy to break. Snapping or dinging a brand-new fiberglass investment has happened to every surfer at least once — and when it happens, it’s a shitty, sinking feeling. Enter Surfcare....
“Industry Veteran on Why Giving Back is Good for Society and The Bottom Line” by Vipe Desai via PropagandaHQ.net
They say that good is the new cool and it’s definitely catching on with more brands and people in the action sports industry. One effort that caught our attention is that of industry veteran, Melissa Martinez-Booth where she’s focusing on doing good for...
“The Fin Box, Its History, and Why It Changed Surfing Forever” by Sam George via The Inertia
Downing’s original inlaid wooden slot, and the modern box courtesy of Futures. Editor’s Note: Welcome to our new series, Ride This, where we look at innovations in the world of surfing and beyond that changed the pursuit forever. In this edition,...
“Retail Check In: Val Surf” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
Please click on the following link to view this Shop Eat Surf News Article (about BRA Retail Member Val Surf): Retail Check In: Val Surf A Val Surf skate section. Val Surf has four stores in the Los Angeles region that sell surf, skate and snow goods. Photo courtesy...
“What does the pandemic mean for mobile pay?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
While there’s no evidence COVID-19 can be transmitted by cash or credit cards, the use of mobile payments and contactless cards has taken off in recent months over concerns about touching surfaces, according to research from the National Retail Federation’s...
“American Airlines Completely Demolished This Guy’s Quiver and They’re Protected by the Fine Print” by Alexander Haro via The Inertia
Three of the boards in question. How, exactly, does this level of damage occur? Photos: Thompson If you’ve traveled on an airplane with surfboards more than say, twice, it’s likely you’ve found a ding or two when you get to your destination. It’s a common story,...
“Retailers Turning to Gift Cards as Promotional Tools” by Joe Keenan via Total Retail
Gift cards, both physical and digital, have often been viewed (mistakenly) by retailers as strictly a transactional product — in most cases to be rolled out during the Q4 holiday shopping season. However, gift cards hold a lot more value to a retail organization than...
“V-shaped June recovery for US skate and surf but concerns remain” via Action Watch
June 2020 US core skate and surf sales grew +15% When we first saw the preliminary June 2020 sales data for the ActionWatch US retailer panel, we had a hard time believing the results. The first set of data indicated that year-over-year sales grew by 20% or more. By...
“What the Great American Outdoors Act Means for Our Oceans and Beaches CONGRESS PASSES BILL IN A SHOW OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT” by OWEN JAMES BURKE via Surfer Mag
Last week, Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) with sweeping bipartisan support, which President Trump is expected to sign after tweeting his support back in early March. “When I sign it into law,” the president’s tweet reads, “it will be...
“BLACK SKATERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN SKATEBOARDING” by Larry Lanza via Jenkem Mag
As skateboarders we all know there’s nothing in the world that is more freeing than the going out and skating with your friends. All of the issues of the world seem to fall to the wayside when we’re skating. Unfortunately as our friend Neftalie Williams says,...
“Surf Expo Moves to Virtual Show for September” via Shop Eat Surf and Surf Expo.com
Please click on the following link to view this informative Shop Eat Surf announcement and interview with Roy Turner (SVP of Emerald, Surf Expo Show Director and co-founder of BRA): Surf Expo Moves to Virtual Show for September Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf...
“U.S. Postal Service Announces its First Loyalty Program” by Kristina Stidham via Total Retail
The U.S. Postal Service announced a loyalty program designed to help smaller businesses, according to a press release obtained by Total Retail. Registered business users of USPS Click-N-Ship will earn credits by purchasing postal products they're already...
“Why does it take a crisis for retailers to get innovative?” by Steve Dennis via Retail Wire
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of Steve Dennis’ recent Forbes article. Steve is president & founder of SageBerry Consulting and a senior Forbes Contributor. His first book — Remarkable Retail: How to Win...