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.
“SVP Spotlight – How can Earthpack help you to take action to reduce your carbon footprint beyond Earth Day with shop-branded recycled and reusable shopping bags and other sustainable packaging needs?” + request your free sample kit by Doug Works via BRA
Most of you embrace and celebrate Earth Day, but what do you do to reduce your carbon footprint beyond Earth Day? Who can help you with shop-branded recycled and reusable shopping bags and other sustainable packaging needs? Founded by Dave Bock in 1989 in Irvine,...
“Revenue and Loyalty: The Power of Personalized Financing Options” by Yaacov Martin via Total Retail
In today's competitive retail landscape, providing a seamless customer experience is no longer enough. Consumers and businesses increasingly seek flexible and personalized financial solutions at the point of sale (POS). Since 2018, POS lending products have...
“Hawaiian Airlines Turns Old Life Vests Into Surfing Dry Bags” by Juan Hernadez via The Inertia
Not the worst idea, actually. Photo: Hawaiian Airlines Believe it or not, those inflatable airline life vests flight attendants are forced to perform weird presentations with have an expiration date. While the lifespan of your typical vest is (according to the...
“Workers at TJ Maxx and Marshalls are wearing police-like body cameras. Here’s how it’s going” by Nathaniel Meyersohn via Retail Dive
Retailers like TJ Maxx are turning to body cameras to keep stores safe. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File New YorkCNN — Hourly retail security workers are now wearing police-like body cameras at major stores. Retail giant TJX, the parent...
“NRF: Father’s Day Spending to Total $22.4B” by Melissa Campanelli via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by andresr Father’s Day spending is expected to reach $22.4 billion this year, according to an annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This is the second...
“Olympic Surfing 101: Everything to Know Before Paris 2024” by Dashel Pierson via Surfer Magazine
Teahupo'o, Tahiti: surfing's venue for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig The Summer Olympics are right around the corner. Here’s a guide to get pumped before the world’s best surfers go for gold at Teahupo’o, Tahiti. Over a century ago, a young Duke...
“Outdoor Retailer Launches Expansive Hosted Buyer Program (apply here now)” by Bart Schaneman via The Daily
At the OR Winter show last November, Sarah Morton (right), OR senior attendee relations manager, gives a group of buyers a tour of the show floor. Photo by Keith Fearnow. Apply for the All-New Hosted Buyer Program Attention: Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design +...
“Retailers Are Putting the “Special” Back in Specialty Retail Via Private Label” by Kari Hamanaka via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
All product photos courtesy of Val Surf, Spyder, Jack's and Quiet Storm. Huntington Beach Pier background: SES file photo. We talk to the owners of Val Surf, Jack’s, Quiet Storm and Spyder about their extensive private label...
“The USPS Must Roll Back its Recent Postage Increases” by Jim Coogan via Total Retail
The postal price increases in the near term have proven to be a failure. The USPS modeling predicted that revenue would increase and demand wouldn't fall. However, the data tells a different story. In 2023, revenue of “marketing mail” decreased by $920 million and...
“How Retailers’ Wrong Sales Tactics Are Ruining Customer Impulse Buys and Considered Purchases” by Bob Phibbs via the Retail Doctor
I walked into a store in California last year, and what seemed like thousands of mason jar candles were stacked on a glass fixture from the '80s. It was right next to the register. I could see the logic of putting the display there. Candles are impulse items. We...
“Longboarding Could Be Included in the 2028 LA Olympics” by Evan Quarnstrom via The Inertia
The beautiful surfing of Honolua Bloomfield was certainly on display at the recent ISA Event. Photo: Pablo Jimenez//ISA Imagine the world’s best longboarders gliding down the point at Malibu, but instead of Malibu’s typical Sunday afternoon summertime...
“Hawaii Claims the Shaka as Its Official State Gesture” by Jade Eckardt via The Inertia
Shaka from the North Shore. Why wouldn’t Hawaii claim the gesture? In addition to perfect surf and sunshine, Hawaii’s known for the shaka, the hand gesture that symbolizes positive messages like hello, goodbye, shoots, and aloha. It’s evolved from an intrinsic...
“Mama Skate Partners with Female-Owned Skate Brands for Epic Mother’s Day Giveaway” by Brian Blakely via Transworld Skateboarding
Celebrate Mom the right way! Marissa Martinez, owner and founder of Mama Skate, is teaming up with four awesome female-owned skate companies this Mother's Day to bring all you awesome skate moms an epic giveaway! Whether you skate yourself or are simply one of...
“Optimizing Special Events and Seasonality in Retail: Embracing High-Resolution Planning” by Greg Arthur via Total Retail
Mastering inventory for special events and seasonality is a key ongoing challenge for retailers of every kind and size. The ebb and flow of sales during festive seasons, promotions, shopping days, and holidays can pose significant hurdles for inventory management....
“WHAT’S IT LIKE RUNNING AN INDOOR SKATEPARK IN 2024?” by via Jenkem Mag
Jagger Eaton. Alex Midler. Every Japanese skater, probably. What do they have in common? They were all indoor skatepark kids. They grew up in a helmet, unbothered by rain, snow or the temptation of smoking weed behind a metal ramp. This usually took place at a local...
“Are Serrated Surfboards the Future? Koa Smith Thinks So.” by Dashel Pierson via Surfer Magazine Newsletter
Smooth, drawn-out rails? Nah. Koa Smith and Matt Parker are creating something entirely different. Photo: Album Surfboards Hawaiian free-surfer teams up with Album Surfboards creator for an innovative, uncanny new shape. Sir Isaac Newton, so the story goes, was...
“Honoring Small Business Triumphs: Inspiring Stories of Retail Owners’ Success” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
I have some amazing people I want you to meet and hear their advice for small business owners, but first, while researching this important celebration, I have to take a step back in time to where it all began. When did Small Business Week Start? President John F....
“Making AI Really Work for Retail” by Lisa Avvocato via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Krongkaew Like every industry, retail is experiencing an artificial intelligence boom — and like other industries that operate with such small profit margins, any competitive edge is not only welcome but necessary to survive. AI offers benefits...
“Foot Locker unveils new store concept in ‘critical year’” by Cara Salpini via Retail Dive
Foot Locker’s first store of the future in Wayne, New Jersey. The company will soon open other locations in Paris, Melbourne, Australia, and Delhi, India. Courtesy of Foot Locker, Inc. Chief Commercial Officer Frank Bracken told Retail Dive the new concept fixes some...
“Bringing Joy to Retail: The Art of Human Connection in Stores” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
The art of selling is deeply intertwined with the art of human connection. As a retail speaker and trainer with over 30 years of experience, I've seen firsthand how the most memorable shopping experiences are those that spark a sense of joy and connection between the...
“Monthly retail sales from the US Commerce Department – Retail sales in March soar more than 5% beating inflation” by Daphne Howland and Caroline Jensen via Retail Dive
Photo Illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images The department’s Census Bureau tracks estimates each month. Retail Dive provides the numbers for key segments, and their year-over-year progress, or decline. Editor’s Note: Comparisons for individual segments...
“7 Key Habits of High-Performing Retailers That Don’t Include AI” by Tom Gleeson via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Hinterhaus Productions I know you’re probably wondering if this article will be a blast on artificial intelligence based on the headline. You’ve come to the wrong place if you're looking for that. As you’ve probably witnessed, it seems every...
“Hollywood Sucks at Surfing: Five Times They Got It Right” by Nathan Myers via Surfer Magazine
The definitive list of Hollywood's only successful drops from the only man qualified to make it. From Beach Blanket Bingo to Blue Juice, they just don't seem to get it. The list of laughable missteps has come to occupy our daily communication. Come...
“Nonprofit Awarding Over $50,000 in Scholarships to Skateboarders” by Haley Mast via Transworld Skateboarding
Scholarships for skateboarders by skateboarders A fresh 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called The College Skateboarding Education Association CSEF, is gearing up to give over $50,000 in scholarships to skateboarders, and their application just opened! CSEF’s mission...
“MasterCraft Celebrates International Women’s Day With Fourth Annual ‘Let Her Rip’ Campaign” by Staff via Wakeboarding Mag
Empowerment and building confidence are the foundations of MasterCraft’s Let Her Rip powered by Progressive. Courtesy MasterCraft Female-focused campaign empowers women and inspires boating confidence; includes mentorship from MasterCraft athletes Meagan Ethell,...
“Nike Embraces Wholesale Again as It Looks to Improve Results”
The Nike Air Max Dn, which launches March 26 in 4,000 doors. Photo courtesy of Nike Inc. Nike executives detail how the company plans to return to bigger growth. Plus, why Converse’s sales dropped double digits. This article is available to Shop Eat Surf Executive...
“Social Media’s Accountability Without Alienating Teens”
Teen social media users are in for a year of frustrating surprises. That’s because both the U.S. Senate and social media platform founders are facing pressures to make 2024 a year of remediation. YouTube expanded parental controls back in 2021,...
“The 12 Best Surf Books for Kids” by Rebecca Parsons via The Inertia
Stoke your child’s curiosity of the ocean with these twelve awesome surf books for kids. Photo: Torsten Dederichs//Unsplash. Reading is beneficial for everyone, but especially children. It helps to strengthen the brain, build vocabulary, stimulate the imagination, and...
“Visa and Mastercard Reach $30B Settlement to Lower Merchant Fees” by Marie Albiges via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Westend61 Visa, Mastercard, and the banks that issue cards with them agreed to pay $30 billion in a lawsuit settlement that was first brought to the courts by merchants in 2005 . In reaching a settlement, Visa and Mastercard agree to lower...
Michaels boosts in-store experience with birthday parties, classes by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Kids at a Michaels birthday party. Starting at $299, Michaels will help customers organize two-hour parties for up to eight children. Courtesy of Michaels The crafts retailer reimagined its class offering and introduced a party planning service for children in the...
“9 Proven Retail Strategies For Improving Sales” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
When you're looking for a Retail Sales Strategy that works, it's simple: you need to be brilliant on the basics. I had been hired in my business consultant role by a man looking to open a new store. After assessing the location and merchandise ideas, I...
“How to Run an Efficient, Impactful and Successful Sales Contest” by staff via Shop Eat Surf (reposted with permission)
Photo Courtesy of ENDVR Sales contests are powerful tools for brands. They incentivize and motivate sales associates to talk about their products and sell them to customers. And this extra push goes a long way for brands. In this article, we will explain how to...
“Volunteers Rally To Build a New Skatepark for the Nigeria Skate Community – All thanks to the volunteer-led organization Wonders Around The World” by Haley Mast via Transworld Skateboarding
Wonders Around The World (WAW) is a 100% volunteer-run charitable organization whose mission is to make skateboarding accessible worldwide through the value of “Inclusion, expression, and development through empowerment”. WAW has traveled the world with a crew of...
“Redefining Retail: 3 AI Trends Leading the Way” by Antony Wildey via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by Surasak Suwanmake For some time now, many retailers have been exploring the use of artificial intelligence to enhance various aspects of their business, from inventory placement to merchandising assortments. However, the conversation gained...
“What is a skateboard shop? – ‘A cultural hub, capitalist outpost, the scene of my gravest sin?'” by Cole Nowicki
This is an extended version of a story that initially appeared in SBC Skateboard Vol. 24.1. You can look at that whole issue online here and subscribe to the mag here. The obvious, business-registry-grade answer is that it’s a place to buy hard and...
“Learn How to Increase Retail Sales With These 8 Pro Tips” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Looking for resources on how to increase sales in retail? The key is to realize in many ways, brick-and-mortar retailers have a finite client base. After all, only so many people will be willing to walk into your store on any given day. While great marketing can...
“2024 Retail Trends: How the Latest Technologies Continue to Shape the Industry” by Pierre Kremer
Credit: Getty Images by FangXiaNuo Our rapidly digitalizing and globalizing world hasn't been kind to the retail industry these past few years, especially for brick-and-mortar stores. As a result, many retailers have begun to wrestle with questions concerning the...
“‘Pipeline’s for the F**king Girls’ – Caity Simmers and the Best Surf Quote Ever” by Joe Carberry via The Inertia
All that’s left is a world title. Photo: Bielmann//World Surf League Something crazy happened Saturday afternoon in Hawaii, on that little stretch of sand at Ehukai Beach Park. Out in the water, a new generation was blowing minds. A new generation of women, that...
“Retail Tech to Make Shoppers Fall in Love with Your Store” by Pankaj Mathur via iVendRetail Blog
It’s the time of year when the world’s thoughts turn to love. For retailers, Valentine’s Day offers a shopping boost in the after-holiday mid-February slump, but it’s more than that – it’s also a reminder that love comes in many forms, including the love that shoppers...
“Last Year Saw an Uptick In Shark Attacks, Per ISAF Report” by Cooper Gegan via The Inertia
Photo: Jeremy Lanfranchi//Unsplash The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) has released a report detailing 2023 shark attack numbers. The report shows a notable uptick in the number of unprovoked shark attacks, as well as the number of those...
“Relationships vs. Transactions and the Future of Email” by Jon Stamell via Total Retail
Credit: Jon Stamell Do you know how many emails are sent every day around the world? I ask people that all the time and I get some surprising answers. I’ve heard 10 million, 100 million and up to a billion. The answer is that in 2024, people around the world will send...
“7 Sales-Boosting Social Commerce Retail Marketing Strategies” by Bob Phibbs via Retail Doctor Blog
I remember when a local business group asked me to present for half a day and the focus became social media marketing for retail stores. It was a typical group of small and medium-sized businesses that sold everything from clothing and sporting goods to banking...
“Matching the Speed of Consumers in the Shifting World of Retail” by Abhishek Naidu via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Photographer is my life Analyzing the pressures facing the world of retail and how businesses need to tackle challenges by prioritizing the needs of Gen Z and millennials In the aftermath of the pandemic and the global economic strain, Gen Z...
“Street League Skateboarding Unveils Expanded Eight-Stop 2024 Schedule” by Michelle Bruton via Forbes
Brazil's Rayssa Leal and Portugal's Gustavo Ribeiro took the championship in the 2022 SLS Triple Crown season It’s an Olympic year, which means that skateboarding, which was added to the program for the Tokyo 2020 Games and which will return in Paris this summer, will...
If you missed last week’s relevant and helpful webinar from BRA SVP CohnReznick, not to worry. We got you with the registration link to view it on-demand” by Doug Works, BRA Executive Director
In this outstanding webinar, the people behind BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Cohn Reznick and a couple of their special guests focused on data and lessons learned from the holiday season, margin enhancement opportunities from the investor perspective, and proactive...
“Carissa Moore Announces She’s Stepping Away From the Championship Tour” by Joe Carberry via The Inertia
In news that we’ve heard rumblings about for weeks, Carissa Moore, a five-time world champion and defending Olympic gold medalist is officially stepping away from the World Surf League’s Championship Tour (she doesn’t want to use the word “retire”). She will surf...
“2024 Predictions: 5 Trends That Will Shape the In-Store Shopping Experience” by David Barker via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Busakorn Pongparnit From emerging technologies to AI-enabled retail associates, Honeywell shares thoughts on evolving retail experiences in the year ahead Retail is changing significantly as new technologies pave the way for future shopping...
“An in depth breakdown of the Nike SB Air Max Ishod” by David of Bluetile and Blair Alley via Transworld Skateboarding
Dave is the man and his shop in South Carolina, Bluetile, is one of the gems out there. He's got a great Youtube series going where he gets into the nitty gritty of new shoes. Check his breakdown of the upcoming Nike SB Ishod 2, or as some are calling it the...
“Surf Expo’s Roy Turner to Receive President’s Award from East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame” by Kara Hamanaka via Shop Eat Surf
Board Retailers Association Chairman George Leichtweis and Roy Turner. SES file photo. Roy Turner has enjoyed a career in action sports surrounded by what he’s been doing since he was a kid: surfing and skating. “I’m pretty blessed that throughout my...
“3 Ways AI Can Benefit Retailers in 2024” by Yan Zhang via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Marko Geber The National Retail Federation forecasted 2023 holiday sales to grow between 3 percent and 4 percent. And while sales growth has slowed due to the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and other factors, retailers must still compete...
“How To Set A New Direction For Retail 2024” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
The start of a New Year is a good time to assess where you’ve been and where you want to go. Otherwise, it can be just the same problems on a different day.Most of us are good at seeing what we didn't accomplish. Many throw up their hands and say, "Good riddance." But...
“Surf Expo to Host Exciting Lineup of Events, Networking, Seminars and Features at January 2024 Show” by Surf Expo staff via Surf Expo blog
Highlights include the 2024 Florida Shape Off, East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Learning Labs on important business topics, and an Industry Party. Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle trade show, is offering a full roster of...
“2023 year-end tax planning opportunities for hospitality and consumer businesses” by Lauren Precipe, Anton Rayetskyy & Yelena Belaks via CohnReznick blog plus special CR offer for all BRA Retail Members
As another year comes to an end, there are some major tax opportunities and concerns impacting the hospitality and consumer industries that should be considered for planning purposes. Although many COVID-19 related programs and changes are behind us, there are other...
“Does Morocco Boast the Biggest Rideable Wave on Earth? This Group of Chargers Thinks So” by Ben Mondy via The Inertia
Big? Yeah, that big. Mr. Kemper, sampling the goods. Photo: Tim Bonython In 2020, off the coast of the Moroccan port city of Safi, archaeologists found evidence of a centuries-old, submerged city. With the remnants dating back to the second century B.C., one...
“Why Shopify’s 2023 AI Releases Could Change the SMB E-Commerce Game” by David Lachowicz via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Marko Geber Rare is the e-commerce small to midsize business (SMB) that has the time, resources and expertise to build its own website. It’s basically Amazon.com, Shopify, a Shopify competitor, or bust. Thanks to a bunch of artificial...
“Dick’s Redefines Community Service” by Robin Lewis via The Robin Report
Community sports are interchangeable with the American spirit of resilience, optimism, and competition. Dick’s Sporting Goods knows the roles sports and fitness play in America’s communities and is deeply embedded in that world, responding in radical ways. The...
“Retail Holiday Sales: How to Sell to Men and Help Them Buy Like Heroes” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
As a retailer, I loved the day before Christmas Eve. All the planners had purchased, and the after-Christmas sales had begun. The guys were now considering going shopping... Historically, on Christmas Eve, the crowds gradually thin out, and you begin to notice more...
“Martha Presents ‘Surf Shop Stories'” by Martha via PR on Shop Eat Surf
Billy Meistrell, from Dive N' Surf, is featured in Martha's documentary series "Surf Shop Stories." Courtesy of Martha PRESS RELEASES | Published Dec 13, 2023 In a bid to amplify the heartbeat of retail and celebrate the essence of human connection, we...
“It’s Skateshop season! Seasons Skateshop owners interviewed on Dead Air Radio” by Blair Alley via Transworld Skateboarding
The Dead Air guys are back with another great podcast keeping it strictly skateshop owners in their current season. Trevor and CB who own Seasons skateshop up in Albany, New York sit down for some conversation and history of their storied shop. ...
“Uber adds store pickup, reindeer robot delivery for the holidays” by Erin Cabrey via Retail Brew
Image courtesy of Uber The new service grows Uber’s reach beyond the delivery and rideshare service’s current retail partners. This week, Uber announced a series of new features to deliver convenience and a little holiday spirit to its consumers. The rideshare and...