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.
“Courtney Conlogue and Miguel Pupo Win 2022 Tahiti Pro at Firing Teahupo’o” by Staff via The Inertia
The surfers came. And Teahupo’o absolutely delivered all week. While the waves weren’t quite as big for finals day, the conditions were clean and glorious throughout as Courtney Conlogue made a late-season push, winning at Teahupo’o and Miguel Pupo nabbed his maiden...
“Technological Inventions That Shaped the History of Retail” by Bobby Marmahat via Total Retail
Brick-and-mortar retail is in a technology boom. While innovations like self-checkout, mobile apps, and digital kiosks were already popping up in stores, the pandemic only accelerated the adoption of new technologies to connect with customers and keep them safe....
“GUERILLA MARKETING TACTICS WITH CLOWN SKATEBOARDS” by Alexis Castro via JENKEM MAG
A few weeks ago we came across what we thought was the most bizarre skateboarding collab of the year: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club and Clown Skateboards. How did a British skateboard company that none of us had ever heard of before, and only boasts a few...
“Surf Expo Attracts More Than 600 Exhibiting Brands to Upcoming September Show” via Shop Eat Surf (plus video of highlights from January Show & more)
Photo courtesy of Surf Expo PRESS RELEASES | Re-Published August 2022 ORLANDO, Fla.– (July 25, 2022) Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle tradeshow, returns to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on Sept. 8-10 in the West Concourse with...
“STAY ON BOARD: THE LEO BAKER STORY – Takeaways From a Must-See Documentary” by Anthony Pappalardo via Artless Industria
My morning ritual begins by checking my text messages, followed by pruning my inbox from companies trying to sell me things and then setting my daily agenda. Today was no different but as I checked off empty white boxes next to eComms that would soon be directed to...
“Retail Check In: Ron Jon Surf Shop” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
Ron Jon Surf Shop at Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida - SES file photo By Tiffany Montgomery | Published Aug 2022 We speak to Ron Jon Surf Shop President Michele Goodwin, who provides very interesting details about sales and brand trends at the important...
“Employee Perks: Are You Giving Too Many or Not Enough?” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Are you guilty of giving your employees too many perks? Or, are you not giving them enough? I read about a Canadian candy company looking for a Chief Candy Officer. The benefits? For a salary of up to $100,000, they get to taste 3,500 products every month. The...
“Is 2022 Back-to-School Back to Normal?” by Warren Shoulberg via The Robin Report
It may seem like only yesterday that you heard kids singing, “No more pencils, no more books…” but here we are again deep into the 2022 Back-to-School season for retailers who supply all the stuff students need (and maybe don’t need) for their return to classes. And...
“The ‘Angriest Man in Surfing’ Proves the Days of Violent Surf Regulation Are Done” by Alexander Haro via The Inertia
Andy Lyon decided that a rock needed to be implanted into this surfboard and the consequences for his actions are proof that it’s not okay anymore. Photos: Screenshot/YouTube In the first week of August, a Malibu resident named Andy Lyon took off on a wave at...
“USOPC moves to decertify USA Skateboarding” by Alyssa Roenigk via ESPN
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has initiated proceedings to decertify USA Skateboarding as the sport's national governing body (NGB), a spokesperson for the USOPC confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. "We initiated the decertification process, citing section 8...
“Skate Leaders Discuss Inventory Glut and State of Market” by John Stouffer via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
By John Stouffer | Published Aug 8, 2022 The skateboard industry is struggling with excess hardgoods inventory that’s affecting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers around the world. We talk to leaders at Arbor, Carver, Element, Eastern Skateboard Supply,...
“Proactive Service is the Key to Consistent, Positive Customer Experiences” by Bulent Cinarkaya via Total Retail
It's 2022 and everything, including the way we shop, is hybrid. The 2022 Shopper Experience Index shows that almost two-thirds of consumers have embraced hybrid shopping permanently. Customers are shopping in person for products they've likely already...
“Will the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ model overcome economic and regulatory challenges?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
“Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) services, such as Affirm, Afterpay, Clearpay and Klarna, saw explosive adoption as e-commerce upshifted into a higher gear during the pandemic, but are now facing questions over their sustainability against a tide...
“Instagram rolls back some product changes after user backlash” by Kalley Huang and Mike Isaac
Celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian were among the upset users who said the updates made the app too much like TikTok. Instagram said on Thursday that it was rolling back several recent updates to its photo-sharing app after Kylie Jenner and other...
“The Best Women’s Wetsuit Jackets of 2022, Reviewed” by Rebecca Parsons via The Inertia
Photo: Christinamae Sheley. Nothing puts a damper on an epic surf session more than being cold. If you’re anything like me, being cold means it’s game over. Once the shivers start, it’s time for me to paddle in, regardless of how good the waves are. Although...
“TikTok Live Shopping Is Booming In 2022. How Can Small Businesses Benefit?” by Catherine Erdly via Forbes Magazine
Live streaming is transforming some of the small businesses who have taken advantage of it's powerGETTY “TikTok Shop LIVE has totally changed my business,” claims Sumayah Saadi, an LSE student who first set up her online shop aiming to provide affordable,...
“USA Skateboarding chair resigns after audit finds multiple governance and financial problems” by Duncan McKay via Inside The Games
Gary Ream has resigned as the chair of USA Skateboarding (USAS) following concerns being raised over governance and financial misconduct at the national governing body. Ream, who played a leading role in helping skateboarding get on the Olympic programme at last...
“How to Choose the Right Tow Tower – Picking the right tow tower for your boat.” by Jeff Hemmel via Wakeboarding Mag
Push a button and Nautique’s Flight Control Tower telescopes up or down with the Bimini top in place. Courtesy Roswell Tow towers have gone from wakeboarding one-offs to standard equipment on most tow-sports boats, as well as an increasing share of runabouts,...
“5 Ways to Boost Team Morale” by Mike Szczesny via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Sarote Pruksachat There may be a day when you wake up and simply don't have the motivation to do your job anymore. When you think about going to work, you may feel helpless, trapped, detached or cynical. This lack of motivation or interest...
“Instagram launches payment-in-chat feature for businesses” by Dani James via Retail dive
Instagram launched the ability for U.S. businesses to complete transactions in chats with shoppers. Courtesy of Meta Dive Brief: In an effort to simplify the customer journey for small businesses, Meta on Monday launched the ability for users to pay for products...
“5 Tips to Increase Retail Sales With Visual Merchandising” by Nick Gurney via Total Retail
As a retailer, you know that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to keep your business running. And while there are many different aspects of your business that require attention, arguably the most important is your sales. Ninety percent of the information...
“What 5G and Edge Computing Mean for Retail” by Dan Picker via Total Retail
With the media and analyst attention 5G and edge computing are getting these days, it’s easy to sense they're very important technologies. However, it’s not always easy to figure out what they mean for your retail business, or why they’re so often talked about at the...
“Retail braces for the second half of the year, as cautious shoppers pay more but get less” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive
Banoart/depositphotos.com Dive Brief: In the segments tracked by Retail Dive, retail sales in June rose 7.7% year over year, as e-commerce regained some momentum with a 20.6% rise, according to numbers released Friday by the U.S. Commerce Department.The...
“Sustaining Profitability and the Environment: A Retail Necessity” by Nathan Smith via The Robin Report
Industry Reality Check To set the context for new emerging retail crises, allow me to set up the situation we find ourselves in as a result of the pandemic. From my perspective, Covid-19 did not start any new trends; instead, it accelerated one that had already begun,...
“Maya Gabeira Wrote the Most Beautiful Children’s Book: ‘Maya and the Beast’” by Alexander Haro via The Inertia
Maya’s first book is available August 2. Images courtesy of Abrams Books. For the last few years, Maya Gabeira has been working on something very different from her normal gig. She’s been writing books. You know Gabeira, of course, as the two-time Guinness World...
“YouTube, Shopify Partner to Offer Creators Livestream Shopping Option” by Marie Albiges via Total Retail
Photo Credit: Courtesy of YouTube Creators and merchants on the Shopify e-commerce platform can now feature their products across their YouTube channels, thanks to a new partnership between the two businesses. The new collaboration allows creators to link their...
“Monthly retail sales from the US Commerce Department” by Daphne Howland and Caroline Jansen 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...
“Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee Signs Model Wakesurfing and Wakeboarding Legislation” by WSIA Staff via WSIA Newsletter
Last week, representatives from the recreational boating industry – including NMMA, WSIA, Heyday, Indmar Marine Engines, and MasterCraft – joined Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for an official signing ceremony of the industry-backed model wakesurfing and wakeboarding...
“The Raglan Surf Report: Why Surf Judges Keep Their Identities Secret” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
There’s a lot of hate out there in the world, no small amount of which is often leveled at competitive surf judges. No idea what I’m talking about? Go check out any of the WSL’s Instagram posts from the El Salvador Pro, scroll through the comments, and if you...
“3 Tips to Grow Your Business With Short-Form Video” by Melissa Oppenheim Lano via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by fizkes The average person’s attention span has decreased over the years — with some experts saying it’s now under 10 seconds — due to the large amount of information constantly vying for their attention. Not only is it harder to keep people...
“TikTok creates program for small businesses” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images Dive Brief: Joining other social platforms in releasing tools for small businesses, TikTok has created Follow Me, a six-week educational program from July 11 to Aug. 19 for small and midsize companies seeking to increase sales using...
“Will Yeezy find it easy to operate stores?” by Matthew Stern via Retail Wire
Sneakerheads and streetwear enthusiasts may soon have a new brick-and-mortar store to visit. YZYSPLY, the sneaker and apparel company of sometimes-controversial rapper, producer and fashion entrepreneur Kanye West, has filed a trademark hinting that a physical...
“Top 10 Visual Merchandising Secrets” by Melissa Stivale via Independent Retailer
Visual merchandising plays a pivotal role in converting sales at the store level. The concept seems simple: display inventory in an organized way that engages and informs customers. However, there should be a lot of thought and purposeful planning that goes into...
“True Employee Engagement is a Two-Way Street: Here’s How to Build It” by Gys Kappers via Total Retail
When it comes to nurturing a successful frontline team in a retail environment, employee engagement has to be a top priority. However, many employers find engagement to be a slippery, elusive quality. According to a 2021 study, 73 percent of employees would...
“‘Femme Ocean’ Tells the Stories of Four Women Breaking Boundaries in Surfing” by Staff via The Inertia
Maryam El Gardoum tears into a blue Moroccan wall. Photo: Femme Ocean. https://www.theinertia.com/?post_type=post&p=244780 The ocean nearly took my life,” says filmmaker Annika von Schütz. “Now it’s giving me life.” Premiering July 9 at the International Surf Film...
“4 Examples of Great Customer Service in 2022” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
I’ve written extensively about creating a customer service strategy, how to improve your retail customer service, and retail customer service on the front line so I was anxious to see what I’d encounter when a couple of weeks ago I traveled down...
“Retailers scale back hiring as worry about a slowdown grows” by Anne D’Innocenzio and Haleluya Hadero via Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — After going on a frenzied hiring spree for a year and a half to meet surging shopper demand, America’s retailers are starting to temper their recruiting. The changing mindset comes as companies confront a pullback in consumer spending, the prospect of...
“4 Tips to Help Your Business Sell More Gift Cards” by Joe Keenan via Total Retail
Consumer demand for gift cards, both physical and digital, continues to rise. According to the Gift Cards - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics report, the global gift card market is forecast to reach $1.4 trillion(USD) by 2026, growing at a compound annual...
“A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO OPENING A SKATE SHOP” by Larry Lanza and Aubrey Fisch via Jenkem Mag
Similar to how we cling to technology of the past, as skaters, we also hang on tight to the olden ways of doing commerce. Handshake agreements, payment in products, and brick-and-mortar retail locations are all things that many industries have moved past or at...
“Who is Crystal Media? plus special BRA Member discount and access to view the ‘Reels Means Deals’ on-demand webinar right now” by Doug Works via BRA
A warm and enthusiastic WELCOME to our newest BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Crystal Media! As a Board Retailers Association member, you save 15% on select Crystal Media Services! As always, we at BRA continue to bring you Supporting Vendor Partners that...
“A Closer Look at Retail & Labor in Inflationary Times” by Rob Kaufelt via The Robin Report
As the former owner and CEO of Murray’s Cheese and a veteran supermarket executive, I feel compelled to weigh in on the current economy with some insights from the past. Having experienced the best and worst of times, I am only mildly optimistic about the future. That...
“42 Things No One Told You About Starting A Retail Small Business” by Bob Phibbs via Retail Doctor Blog
Owning your own small business or retail store is a goal of many. You can be one of the few small business owners who make the dream a reality. You just need to understand what you are in for as far as start-up costs, cash flow, as well as what it takes to be...
“You Might Not Need to Worry About Breaking a Brand New Surfboard Ever Again” via The Inertia
Editor’s Note: Just bought a new surfboard? Check out Surfcare, a new option for peace of mind. You just dropped an unforgiving grand(ish) on a creamy white hunk of fiberglass – straight off the rack from your local surf shop. It’s silky to the...
“7 Ways To Transform Retail Store Displays Into Sales” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog
There are a lot of ways your sales displays can be your silent salesperson. The trick is to make sure your displays include some of the basics. Try these seven ways to make your retail store displays do more than just look attractive. 1. Change your displays monthly...
“THE INS AND OUTS OF DECK COLLECTING” by Ian Michna via JENKEM MAG
Collecting skateboards is a pain in the ass. Boards are heavy, you need a lot of space to store them, and they will happily catch fire if your house ever burns to the ground. But that hasn’t stopped a small group of hardcore collectors who have spent thousands of...
“UCSD Surf Team Awards First College Scholarship for Surfing” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
We all know that you can get your college tuition subsidized, even fully covered, for playing sports like basketball, baseball, or football in college. Well, now the same holds true for surfing. University of California San Diego just handed out the first college...
“View the most recent BRA X M1 quarterly webinar about e-commerce featuring George right here. You can also view the previous quarterly webinar about staffing plus all four 2021 BRA quarterly webinars here on demand at no cost” via BRA and Management One
Once per Quarter, Board Retailers Association hosts relevant and helpful webinars on a variety of topics in collaboration with BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Management One. You can view the 2nd Quarter 2022 webinar as well as the 1st Quarter 2022 webinar and...
“The Technologies Reinventing Physical Retail” by BOF Team, McKinsey & Co. via The Business of Fashion
Engagement with in-store technology can lead customers to spend up to four times longer shopping than customers who simply browse. (Getty Images) In-store mobile apps and micro-fulfilment tech can address consumer pain points and enable companies to incorporate their...
“Life Jacket Essentials: What to Keep in Your Life Jacket if You Want to Get Found” by Mario Vitone via Wakeboarding Mag courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard
Pockets in life jackets serve an important purpose. The best life jackets have pockets for a reason – Mario Vittone explains what to keep in them in case of an emergency. Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard When it comes to life jackets, there can be a big difference between...
“Do mental illness and retail entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
Andy Dunn selfie from June, 2018 – Source: Twitter/@dunn In his book, “Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind,” Bonobos co-founder and former CEO Andy Dunn opens up about his bipolar disorder diagnosis, exploring the inherent challenges as well as how it...
“Building Lasting Customer Loyalty Amid Inflation” by Matt Ramerman via Total Retail
The COVID-19 pandemic plus the war in Ukraine created a perfect storm for inflation, and now the prices of goods and services are dominating the minds of consumers everywhere. Annual inflation rose by 8.3 percent in April, close to a 40-year...
“BC Owner on Snow Season, Sales Trends and Inventory” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
BC Surf & Sport in Lone Tree, Colorado - Photo by SES Company Owner {and BRA Board Member} Bruce Cromartie answered some questions for us about how the snow season turned out, including what brands sold well. We also asked him about current sales trends and...
“16 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT TRUCKS” by Christian Senrud via JENKEM MAG
For as long as I have been skateboarding, there have been so many debates over which trucks turn the fastest, which trucks grind the best, and which trucks last the longest. Each brand has their own specialty, and there’s no telling which trucks are truly “the best,”...
“Retail Moves From ‘The Great Acceleration’ To ‘The Great Rebalancing’.” by Steve Dennis via Forbes
A Best Buy store, a retailer of consumer electronics, operating in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.GETTY During the early part of the pandemic, it became popular to say that we had experienced 10 years of e-commerce growth in only 10 weeks. While that was rather...
“Surf Cams Might Be Secretly Ruining Your Session” by Ella Boyd via The Inertia
Yes, you can see yourself surf. But do you want to see yourself surf? Photo: Screenshot//Surf Cam Rewind Why do we surf? Is it to escape reality and enjoy a connection with nature? Is it to challenge your personal limits, try new tricks, and progress as a surfer?...
“Instagram is Becoming the New Mall: 3 Ways to Start Conversational Commerce Marketing” by Beerud Sheth via Total Retail
Credit: about.fb.com Everyone knows Instagram as a social medium, but only a few realize it's now becoming a conversational medium as well. Recently launched features now enable brands to conduct business with customers through private conversations. Businesses can...
“Airports and Mountain Resorts” by Jeff Harbough via JH&A Market Watch Blog
Seattle’s main airport is surrounded by communities and has grown like a weed right along with the Seattle metropolitan area. It has no practical way to expand. Through recent technology and some clever evolution of facilities the airport authority is...
“5 Ways To Ace A Quick Store Refresh Of Your Retail Merchandising” by Bob Phibbs via Retail Doctor Blog
When I lived in Los Angeles, I did business makeovers for the Los Angeles Times. Now that I speak and travel more, I only do business makeovers as a paid consultant. Recently I was contacted by a spa and outdoor furniture retailer for help with a storewide...
“Why Retailers Should Refocus on Customer-Centric KPIs” by Greg Chen via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by Fang Xia Nuo The science of customer attraction these days goes beyond offering a helpful, useful and accurate product that fulfills a need; it’s also about ensuring the customer is satisfied throughout their journey with your brand. Being...
“PALATE CLEANSER: MAKIES SKATESHOP – A Book of ’80s Skate Shop Photographs by Francis Makiej” by Anthony Pappalardo via Artless Industria
PHOTOS BY FRANCIS MAKIEJ SPOILER ALERT: I Made a Book/Zine Facebook sucks. (Full stop). If I were to think of something valuable about the platform or “product” as some call it, I wouldn’t try to kid you with claims about “connecting the world” or “providing a space...