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.
“How Retailers Can Capitalize on the 5 Types of Shoppers” by Dan Smythe and Cameron Davis via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Daniel Milchev No two customers are the same, yet they share many of the same goals and behaviors. An insightful, 18-month-long study of critical purchasing patterns discovered that shoppers fall into five categories: the...
“Aurelien Giraud recognized as World Champion 2023 at yesterday’s World Skate Tour Competition / Olympic Qualifier Event in Sharjah, UAE plus secret to his injury recovery” by Tibs Parise via Clayer Skateboarding Blog
The Frenchman came alive in the best trick section to claim victory over Portugal's Gustavo Ribeiro and 12-year-old Japanese rising star Onodera Ginwoo in the men's final at the street world championships and Olympic Qualifier in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. How did...
“Is it time for retailers to pay their managers OT?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
Photo: Getty Images/FG Trade A university study concludes businesses, including many retailers, are increasingly giving workers promotions with “fabricated” managerial titles but no wage upgrade to avoid paying them overtime wages. Researchers from Harvard...
“5 Reasons Why Apathetic Employees Are Risky Business plus Corrective Strategies to address the problem” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
An unmotivated employee can be a real headache for any retail store. Worse, instead of helping you build sales, they can lead to sales decreases. Not only are they unproductive, but their lack of enthusiasm rubs off on the rest of your team, leading to decreased...
“JENKEM VOL. 3 – LATEST AND GREATEST HARDCOVER BOOK HAS ARRIVED” by staff via Jenkem Mag
It’s been quite some time, but we’re back with the third and final installment in our Jenkem Book Series. That’s right, Jenkem Vol. 3 is finally here, consisting of 100% new content, completing the book trilogy we started back when we were even...
“Retail in 2023: Back to Basics” by Chelsea Zhang and Rick Zullo via Total Retail
Credit: Warby Parker Over the last several years we’ve seen a tremendous boon in direct-to-consumer (DTC) and e-commerce strategies for retail. Venture capital flooded into the category leaving incumbent retailers feeling pressured. 2022 started to see a reversal of...
“Mark McMorris Wins Snowboard Slopestyle Gold, Breaks Record for Winter X Games Medals” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
Photo Courtesy of NBC Sports Mark McMorris just became the winningest athlete in Winter X Games history. You can watch the full video below, and I’d recommend it, as there was some insane snowboarding during the entire event. But if you want things summed up nicely,...
“Top 10 Hidden Gems of Surf Expo 2023 (opinion article)” by Rich Aloha via Wakeboarding Magazine plus link to view photos from the most recent Surf Expo Trade Show
Surf Expo exhibitors fill up a massive hall in Orlando. Rich Aloha Surf Expo, once a watersports wonderland, adds a January event. What can riders now expect from this premier event? Since its debut in 1976, Surf Expo, has drawn in multitudes of surfing...
“Memphis skateboard community shows support for fellow skater Tyre Nichols” by Stacy Jacobsen via WREG-TV (Local Memphis affiliate station) plus link to video and more news about the brutal murder of a skateboarder
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — Appalling, deplorable, and heinous. Those are the words civil rights attorney Ben Crump used after he and Tyre Nichols’ family saw the video of the police encounter leading up to his death for the first time.Tyre Nichols’ family, attorneys see...
“Is it time for retailers to radically rethink their business models?” by Patricia Vekich Waldron via Retail Wire
The business models of many retail businesses have been unsustainable for years and all it took was the pandemic to make that undeniably clear. Pandemic and post-pandemic complications have caused many businesses to experience “inefficiencies, stress and fatigue,”...
“An Arizona Ski Resort Just Charged $309 for a Single-Day Lift Ticket” by Juan Hernandez via The Inertia
Arizona Snowbowl. Photo: Twitter // @AZSnowbowl It’s no secret a day on the hill — especially a spontaneous one after welcoming several inches of new snow — isn’t the cheapest way to spend your weekend. Still, breaking the threshold of $300 for a single-day lift...
“How Hybrid Models Have Impacted Retail Shopping” by Anat Shakedd via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by ipopba Consumer behavior and shopping experiences have arguably changed more in recent years than ever before. Throughout the pandemic, shoppers became more accustomed to online ordering and the inevitable ease that comes with shopping from the...
“24 Nonprofit Skateboard Organizations That Make a Difference” by Ruben Vee via SkateboardersHQ
Skateboarding has gained ground in such a short time. Through a unique combination of courage, creativity, and an engaging lifestyle, skateboarding has gained popularity worldwide and finds its place among traditional sports like football and baseball. Besides being...
“The Killer of a Skateboarding Legend Went Unnamed for Years. Could Deaths Have Been Prevented?” by David Sjostedt via The San Francisco Standard
Jake Phelps skates a halfpipe at the Hunters Point ramp in San Francisco in 1986. | Courtesy Thrasher Magazine When it was reported that San Francisco skateboarding legend Jake Phelps died peacefully in his Bayview home on March 19, 2019, the legions of global...
“The 12 Worst Excuses for Not Training Retail Employees” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Most CEOs, owners, and managers of retail stores understand that employee training is a key factor in improving customer service, increasing sales, and reducing turnover. Unfortunately, many retailers are still reluctant to invest the time and resources needed to...
“SMART Retailing: The Future has Arrived” by Dan Jablons via the Retail Smart Guys blog
Globalization has caused changes in how nations, people, and especially businesses interact. A tremendous unconstant shift is happening in the retail market, resulting in the formation of smart retail. Companies, because of technology, are turning digital, automated,...
“A New Threat for Retailers: The Rise of the Synthetic Shopper” by Chris Ryan via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Brian A. Jackson While the rapid rise of e-commerce has generated additional revenue for many retailers, it’s also brought additional challenges. The increased fraud risk and merchant liability for online transactions create a cautious...
“How pandemic trends will continue to inform consumer behavior in 2023” by Sara Karlovich via Marketing Dive
Brandon Bell via Getty Images During a press briefing during NRF’s Big Show, experts indicated that earlier cash reserves are dwindling, while consumer savviness remains on the rise. NEW YORK — Consumer behavior will remain difficult to map out in 2023, but the...
“Ad spending on TikTok defies advertising slowdown” by Krystal Scanlan and Seb Joseph via Digiday
Ivy Liu Every downturn is good for someone. Take TikTok, for instance. Even as marketers continue to scrape dollars back wherever they can, whether that be from TV or Facebook, they can’t stop pouring money into the short-form video app. And that’s despite some...
“2022 Wake Awards” by Staff via Wakeboarding Magazine
The 2022 Wake Awards are coming! The best riders of 2022 will be honored and awarded for their accomplishments during a special two week-long presentation beginning in January 2023. Starting on January 16, we’ll release the finalists in several categories each day!...
“7 Essential Retail Manager Skills Your Store Needs To Succeed” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
What retail manager skills does your store need to succeed? Managers need a host of interpersonal skills to execute a management plan and help retail stores boost sales. One thing that can compromise a store is that most retailers promote from within, and while that...
“Do drinking and shopping mix?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
Photo: Getty Images/Radiokukka Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace in Phoenix on Jan. 12 will become the first outdoor shopping centers in Arizona to allow shoppers to drink alcohol as they shop. Vestar, the owner of both centers, had argued that malls need...
“Instagram to Remove Shopping Tab” by Dani James via Retail Dive
Permission granted by Meta Dive Brief: Changing the way consumers access commerce on its app, Meta-owned Instagram will remove its Shop tab from the homepage navigation bar in February, according to a post on the company’s support site. A Meta spokesperson...
“Walmart Inks Deal With Salesforce to Sell its Tech to Other Retailers” by Joe Keenan via Total Retail
Credit: Walmart Walmart wants to sell more of its technology and services to other companies. On Thursday, it announced a deal with Salesforce to ramp up sales of its GoLocal delivery service, which drops off purchases at customers’ doors; and...
“5 trends that shaped the holidays in 2022” by Staff via Retail Dive
RgStudio via Getty Images From deep discounts to metaverse activations, here are some of the biggest influences on the season. Inflation and inventory challenges set a subdued tone for the 2022 holiday season before it even truly started. Discretionary...
“Outdoor Retailer Education Schedule plus invitation to BRA Retailer Gathering at this week’s Snow Show” by Outdoor Retailer and BRA
Outdoor Education Taken Higher Outdoor Retailer is the largest outdoor trade show of its kind, delivering the industry experts and educational opportunities you won’t find anywhere else. With top educators and innovators from around the world, Outdoor...
“How To Use Powerful Questions To Engage And Sell More Customers” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Using questions effectively in a retail sales presentation can be a powerful tool to engage customers and guide them toward purchasing decisions. But there is more than one type of question. I'll cover the different types of questions you can use in your sales...
Surf Expo Photos via Shop Eat Surf
Click on the following link to view more great photos from the BRA Retailer Gathering where we kicked off the 20th Anniversary of Board Retailers Association (since 2003) and honored BRA co-founder Roy Turner and to view a ton of other remarkable photos from Surf Expo...
“With Patagonia leading the pack, what’s next for sustainability in apparel?” by Julia Waldow via Modern Retail
Ivy Liu Back in 2011, Patagonia placed an ad in the New York Times on Black Friday with a photo of one of its products and a provocative message: “Don’t Buy This Jacket.” The move, part of a larger poster and PR campaign, was meant to encourage people to think about...
“Rally car driver and DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block dies in a snowmobile accident” by Emily Olson via NPR
Ken Block, pictured here at the 2017 World Rallycross Championship in Barcelona, Spain, died yesterday in a snowmobile accident, his company said. David Ramos/Getty Images Ken Block, an action sports legend who co-founded DC Shoes and Hoonigan Racing, died on Monday...
“Just Like F1, Social Commerce Needs Precision and Speed” by Nick Verlaney via Total Retail
With its feedback, creation and conversation loops, social commerce mimics circuit-based Formula 1 races. And success on the track and on social media isn't purely about who is the quickest. Instead, it’s about strategy, precision and avoiding critical mistakes. The...
“5 Tips For Setting Goals That Work For You” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
The start of a new year is a great time to set a new direction. Whether you had a 🔥 or 🌡️ year, prepare yourself for 2023. Do you dread the pressure of setting goals, only to feel like you failed when they’re not achieved? Many of us would...
“Atmospheric River Is Set to Dump Feet of Snow on the Western U.S.” by Joe Carberry via The Inertia
Forrest Shearer slashing some early-season snow in a Wasatch hidden gem. Utah’s favorite playground should get feet as well. Over the next seven days, the weather across the West is expected to get real. As in real snowy. Forecasters are predicting feet of...
“JENKEM PRESENTS: THE 6TH ANNUAL SKATEBOARDING SUPERLATIVES” by via Jenkem Mag
Wow, another year flew by, and we hope you have something to show for it. If you managed to hit a set bigger than a three or grind something taller than a curb, we commend you for your year full of efforts and successes. To properly highlight the good and the bad of...
“The Gospel, According to Jeremy Jones – The polymath snowboarder has a new book about the art and philosophy of being in the mountains” by Heather Hansman via Outside
Jeremy Jones, big-line snowboarder, splitboarding sage, and fearless-seeming founder of Protect Our Winters (POW)—a partner of Outside’s Find Your Good fundraising platform—says he was scared to write a book. “I was kind of nervous, but nervousness and excitement go...
“7 Ways How To Grow Your Retail Sales The Week After Christmas” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
After-Christmas retail can be fun if you focus on making money instead of just giving it away through aggressive promotions and discounts. After Christmas Day has come and gone, retailers of all sizes, from boutiques to department stores to big-box stores, may want to...
“New Retail: How the “Store” Will Undergo Transformation” by Sanford Stein via The Robin Report
For the vast majority of the 20th century, retailing had been largely transactional. The store was the place where the goods were seen, sold, and stored (hence the term). With the advent of ecommerce that definition became questioned, and the change-averse retail...
“How Mobile Bridges the Gap Between In-Store and Online” by Alex Campbell via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by Anita Kot To deliver on consumer expectations and keep their loyalty, brands must incorporate mobile messaging into their marketing strategies This holiday season, retailers prepared for an influx of in-store and online shoppers at levels even...
“Is Retail In Recession – Or Are We Coming Out Of It?” by Walter Loeb via Forbes Magazine
Road sign with the words "Recession next exit" featured.GETTY The New York TimesNYT +0.8% published on Friday that retail sales fell in November despite Black Friday deals. That means that we are in a real slowdown of sales at this time. Despite this news,...
“WE TALKED TO THE ENGINEER BEHIND THE DIME GLORY CHALLENGE OBSTACLES” by Ian Michna via Jenkem Mag
Every year the skate world gathers in Montreal for the most entertaining skateboard “contest” of the year. There’s no need for a numeric scoring system or a qualification round – the Dime Glory Challenge’s objective is simple: go huge. The best skaters in the world...
“2022 Wakesports Hall of Fame Inductees – Find out who was inducted into the Wakesports Hall of Fame in 2022.” by Staff via Wakeboarding Magazine
Melissa Marquardt: 2022 Inductee Wakesports Hall of Fame Courtesy Melissa Marquardt Ten inductees were included in this year’s class. Courtesy Wakesports Hall of Fame The 2022 Wakesports Hall of Fame class of inductees includes some of the sport’s most...
“How to Stop Serial Returns From Damaging the Bottom Line” by Nathan Smith via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by Emilija Manevska You want your retail business to be regarded for exceptional customer service and products. Reputation is important, and retailers will go the extra mile to ensure loyal customers are happy. Sometimes these concessions,...
“San Clemente’s Usedsurf Is the Largest Pre-Owned Board Shop on the Planet” by Joe Carberry via The Inertia
San Clemente’s Usedsurf, on Calle de Los Molinos. Defining the “core” of surfing always seems at the heart of the pursuit. So what’s core, exactly? A shortboard? A particular brand? To me, the core of surfing is the shop. The everyday surfer’s conduit between the...
“Increase profits with these 5 steps!” by Aaron Randall of RICS Software plus extra special savings for BRA DRMs
Covid-19 and its forced retail shutdowns are a memory of the past. However, the lingering effects on our supply chain, consumer behaviors and retail inventories remain front and present as we look at managing business going forward. Recent retail news has been focused...
“NRF expects nearly 160M holiday shoppers to turn out for Super Saturday” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
More holiday shoppers than ever this year are giving experiences like concert tickets as gifts, the NRF found. “Misterwives - The Scrapbook Tour / Columbus, OH - LC Pavilion” by Kristopher Perez is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Dive Brief: More than 158...
“‘Tis The Season For Retail Tech To Shine” by Jill Standish via Forbes
Holiday season. female in sparkle gold sequin Santa hat with credit card browsing high fashion retail online store and on a smartphone while sitting on divan in the modern living room at Christmas. GETTY Digital technology’s prominence within retail experiences has...
“3 Cash Flow Strategies for a Winning Holiday Sales Season” by Rob Daniel via Total Retail
The holidays are a time when many small businesses generate their highest revenues of the year, but it can also be a time when cash flow challenges become particularly acute. Stocking up on inventory, hiring seasonal employees, and surges in demand can all present...
“Surfer, Snowboarder, Powder, Bike and Other Media Titles Acquired” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf
SES file photo courtesy of Adventure Sports Network Click on the following link to the PR via Shop Eat Surf: Surfer, Snowboarder, Powder, Bike and Other Media Titles Acquired Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf website to view valuable Industry News and Resourceful...
“Live Commerce vs. Reels: How to Build Meaningful Customer Relationships Through Live Video Commerce” by Andrew Chen via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by PixelsEffect While Reels can be a powerful tool to attract new customers, live selling offers retailers a more intimate, longer form setting to engage “I know this is new for all of us,” said Melissa Garcia, a professional on-air stylist, as...
“Surf Expo to Welcome Wide Range of Retailers to January Show’ via Surf Expo PR
File photo courtesy of Surf Expo PRESS RELEASES | Published Dec 7, 2022 ORLANDO, Fla. (December 5, 2022) – A diverse group of retailers from all regions of the U.S. and beyond are registered to attend Surf Expo, the world’s premier watersports and beach...
“The sky won’t fall, and other retail predictions for 2023” by Lee Peterson via Retail Wire
This is the first in a series of articles from members of Retail Wire’s Brain Trust panel speculating on coming retail trends and developments for 2023. The year 2023 is going to be better at retail than expected (that doesn’t mean great, btw) especially for those...
The Freeride World Tour Has Merged With FIS; Is That a Good Thing? by Steve Andrews via The Inertia
In a surprise move this morning, the Freeride World Tour announced that it’s merging with the Federation Internationale du Ski, or as most know it, FIS. This is the same FIS that oversees all the Olympic ski racing, freestyle, and snowboarding...
“A NEW TRUCK BRAND, IN THIS ECONOMY?” by Larry Lanza via Jenkem Mag
If you weren’t aware, Mike Sinclair recently announced that he’s been working on a new brand called Slappy Trucks. Sinclair has been a team manager for some of the biggest brands and some of the most notable skaters for the last 20 years but has never...
“Gary Friedman: The Poster Child of Retail Radicals” by Robin Lewis via The Robin Report
How did I define the CEO of RH, Gary Friedman? As a true radical, and more. Perhaps even an iconoclast. Friedman is unique and complex. A conversation with him can be surreal; he’s a philosopher, an uber-character, energizer bunny, stream-of-conscious rambling...
“Retailers find inflation is often about location, location, location” by Brian Delp via Retail Wire
Inflation is a top concern for both businesses and consumers currently, and rightfully so as the U.S. trend continues to remain high. The most recent Consumer Price Index national average for October was 7.7 percent, down from the high of 9.1 percent in...
“Year-end tax planning opportunities for the consumer industry” by Joel Boff and Corey Rosenthal of BRA Supporting Vendor Partner CohnReznick plus acess to relevant and helpful CR / M1 collaborative on-demand webinar
After two and a half years of COVID-19 shutdowns, reopenings, and clarifications and additional guidance being released on the 2020 CARES Act, taxpayers and practitioners have a clearer roadmap for the 2022 tax filing season. But, unless many CARES...
“What We Gain From Getting Skunked” by Ella Boyd via The Inertia
It won’t be flat forever. Photo: Jeremy Bishop//Unsplash Ben Franklin once famously said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” In true constitutional fashion, I’d like to amend that statement. For surfers, nothing is certain except...
“In-Store Visits, Online Shopping Saw Increases Over Thanksgiving Weekend” by Melissa Campanelli via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Jordi Salas Consumers spent a record $9.12 billion online shopping during Black Friday this year, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks sales on retailers’ websites. Overall, online Black Friday sales were up 2.3 percent...
“This is How Fashion Can Help America Recycle” by Catherine Schetting Salfino via The Robin Report
The slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle” has been around for decades. But it’s only more recently that the fashion industry has begun examining how such actions could improve their sustainability efforts while giving their clothing a second life. America Recycles...
“Why Workforce Education is Critical to Recession-Proofing Your Retail Business” by Chuck Rubin and Holly Shaskey-Platek via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Cecilie_Arcurs The Great Resignation. The rise of e-commerce. The supply chain squeeze. These are just the latest in a string of challenging issues facing the retail industry, with a possible recession looming on the horizon. Retailers have...