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.
“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...
“Is an urban retail recovery underway?” by Tom Ryan via Retail Wire
“It’s slow progress, but retailers’ interest in urban corridors is returning and deal volume is inching up, while shoppers, workers, travelers and diners return to city life,” according to a new report from real estate services firm JLL. Are they right? The...
“Boost Sales With Gifts & Impulse Buys” by Krystina Morgan via Independent Retailer
With the prime tourist season upon us, this is the perfect opportunity for indie retailers nationwide to capitalize on gifts and impulse buys. Whether shoppers are looking for something to bring home to their family and friends, or you need small influential products...
“Cure Retail Disruption With A Customer-Focused Approach” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
A lot of money is chasing the term of disruption in retail and examining radical disruptive trends. From innovative AI chatbots to new payment solutions, everyone is hoping to disrupt – or more accurately steal – market share from established companies the...
“Compassionate Retail is the Differentiator Your Organization is Looking For” by Bobby Marhamet via Total Retail
It turns out the American consumer of 2022 isn’t all that complicated, at least according to Raydiant’s State of Consumer Behavior 2022 report. Shoppers today want bang for their buck, they expect a positive all-around experience when they enter your stores,...
“A VISUAL GUIDE TO SKATING CARS” by Larry Lanza via Jenkem Mag
According to a stat I just made up, there are about one billion cars currently in circulation across the globe. Yeah, cars are a leading cause of global warming and an insane amount of deaths, but they offer endless possibilities for the people who own them. Besides...
“Surf Travel and a Brief Lesson in Localism” by Connor Macanally via The Inertia
Small-ish wind-kissed waves are your best bet at sliding in unnoticed. Photo: Sebastian Mitterm//Unsplash The Basque culture is one of the oldest in existence. How old? No one really knows. There’s good evidence to suggest the Basque language, “Euskara,” has...
“7 Best Selling Techniques to Increase Your Sales” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Looking for effortless retail sales training that can transform your staff? Are you willing to do the hard work to achieve it? Sorry, it's not easy to transform your staff into selling powerhouses. Oh sure, you've probably heard it said of someone, “They could...
“3 E-Commerce and Social Media Trends to Watch Through the Rest of 2022” by Jessica Hawthorne-Castro via Total Retail
E-commerce sales have been on the upswing as a share of total sales since before 2000, and in the last decade, social platforms have played an increasing role. Then 2020 happened, driving an unprecedented spike in online sales. This year so far, we’re seeing social...
“HR In Retail: 5 Ways To Retain, Attract, And Keep Employees Happy” by Adam Hill via Retail Minded
The retail sector struggles to maintain a stable and content workforce. It has one of the highest turnover rates averaging above 60%. Most employees work long hours with low wages and no benefits. The great resignation brought about by the Covid-19 made things...
“Buy now, pay later players’ losses grow as costs soar” by Jonathon Berr via Retail Dive
Don Arnold via Getty Images BNPL providers are paying a hefty price to keep up with surging consumer demand for their financing services, spending large sums to add new tech and more employees. The buy now, pay later boom had an inauspicious debut more than...
“5 Surf Non-Profits That Are Making Waves of Change” by Rebecca Parsons via The Inertia
Surf non-profits do lots of positive things for the surf community. Photo: Courtesy of Me Water Foundation. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that surfing is a business. It is, after all, the “surf industry.” A large part of surfing is centered around selling boards,...
“What Every Brand Should Know Before Launching Into Live Selling” by Finn Faldi via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by fizkes For retailers and brands, “going live” consistently can drive conversion rates that are higher than what they see on their e-commerce sites. Here are some tips that businesses of all sizes should keep in mind when expanding into the...
“PacSun opens metaverse store, auctions NFTs” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Courtesy of PacSun Dive Brief: Joining other brands in experimenting with the metaverse, Pacsun launched a three-level store in ComplexLand 3.0, a metaverse shopping festival taking place between May 25 and May 27, the youth...
“Guinness Just Verified That Sebastian Steudtner Set a World Record at Nazaré” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
Sebastian, focused amidst the chaos of Nazaré. Photo: Joerg Mitter. https://youtu.be/CIXbZPHLv2o We know this: several massive swells have occurred at Nazaré in the past couple of years. And with them have come the things we aren’t so sure of. Namely, if the...
“7 Tips To Visually Optimize Your Website” by Krystina Morgan via Independent Retailer
With retail ecommerce giants like Amazon and Walmart setting the bar extremely high for website design and experiences, smaller online stores are left behind to constantly make updates to ensure their websites are similarly easy to use. It is absolutely crucial to...
“Most Product Purchases Aren’t Impulsive, So Why Sell Them That Way?” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
I walked into a store in California last year and they had what seemed like thousands of mason jar candles 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 an impulse item. We...
“Did the Pandemic Change Retailing Dramatically?” by Jan Rogers Kniffen via The Robin Report
Any professional observer of retail trends and every shopper in the U.S. would tell you that retailing, and retailers changed dramatically during the pandemic. But many of those changes were already in the works before the pandemic even started. One of the...
“Social Commerce is Having More Than a Moment – Brands not embracing this trend, or at least testing the water, will be left behind” by Stevie Morris via Total Retail
Credit: HubSpot Social commerce, the latest darling of digital marketers, continues its meteoric rise with the latest predictions putting the industry at $1.2 trillion in purchases by 2025. With more than $958 billion spent in 2021, it’s clear that social commerce...
“Audience Hijacking: How to Prevent Your Online Customers From Being Shoplifted” by Patrick Sullivan via Total Retail
Ensuring your website visitors have a positive experience is absolutely crucial for turning shoppers into buyers. But increasingly, the online customer journey is disrupted by pop-up ads, browser plug-ins and extensions designed to redirect shoppers away from your...
“Malls and Shoppers Are Back In Droves” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog
Don’t look now, pundits, but those dire predictions of the collapse of malls are crumbling. I visited the Garden State Plaza in New Jersey Saturday around noon. It took me about ten minutes to find a parking place. Once inside, I found the mall packed with shoppers...
“U.S. Retail Sales Grew 0.9% in April – Retail spending rose for the fourth straight month as inflation remained high” by Harriet Torry via The Wall Street Journal
Americans continued to pump money into the U.S. economy in April, with increased retail spending offering the latest sign consumers are driving demand at stores and manufacturers despite the pinch from high inflation. Retail sales—a measure of spending at...
“16 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDING” by Christian Senrud and Staff via Jenkem Mag
Skateboarding is so damn fun that it’s easy to forget it’s also an actual j-o-b that some people do to make ends meet. Just like the regular jobs you and I work, there are a lot of nuances, expectations, and obligations that the greater world doesn’t necessarily know...
“The Best & Worst Times To Post On Social Media” by Krystina Morgan via Independent Retailer
Social Media plays such a huge part in brand growth, but unless you use it properly, it will not help you gain any extra exposure. There are many different factors that go into creating successful social media accounts, and one of the biggest ones is posting at just...
“What Pandemic? Physical Real Estate is Having a Moment” by Andrew Flint via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by dragana991 Online shopping might be easy, convenient and prolific, yet it hasn’t erased the need for flagship brick-and-mortar retail establishments. In fact, retail real estate is undergoing a phenomenal — and some might say surprising...
“Top 10 Boating Safety Tips for the Busy 2022 Season” by The Watersports Foundation via the WSIA Newsletter
With a 35% increase in new boat ownership and 415,000 new boaters taking to the waterways since 2020, boating participation will reach historic levels of participation this summer, says Water Sports Foundation Executive Director Jim Emmons. With the Memorial Day...
“Retail’s Bench Strength Is Dwindling, Here’s How To Build It Back” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Retailers are getting shoppers back in droves. That’s great news. For the most recent period, while online retail sales fell for the third straight month, visits to stores were up. In fact, NRF's annual forecast predicts that retail sales for 2022...
“From Seed To Culture – Shaheen Sadeghi ran global giant Quiksilver back when soulless malls ruled the retail landscape. Now, he’s building the future at his cool, community-focused shop, Seed Peoples Market.” by Doug Schnitzspahn via Outdoor Retailer Magazine
Seed Peoples Market won an Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award in January 2020, but when I visit the Costa Mesa, California-based shop, I don’t walk out with anything I saw in the aisles at that Show. Instead of a recycled polyester Patagonia jacket or a technical...
“Here Are the Winners of The Inertia’s 2022 Film & Photo Challenge Presented by White Claw” by Staff via The Inertia
Owen Beim with the winning entry of the Black and White Category presented by White Claw. Last weekend, at the Traveler Surf Club in Malibu, The Inertia awarded the winners of the 2022 Film and Photo Challenge presented by White...
“Retailers Should Be Texting Customers More: Here’s How to Do it Effectively” by Tom Sheahan via Total Retail
While many industries have embraced short message service (SMS, or more commonly referred to as texting) as a meaningful way to communicate with customers, many retail brands still haven't adopted the practice with regularity. As retailers consider changes in...
“Surf Shop Day is now being handled by the awesome people behind SIMA plus link to social media assets to use for SSD on May 21st” via Surf Industry Member Association blog
Let’s celebrate! A surf shop’s value according to Shaun Tomson, world champion surfer, environmentalist, and author: “Surf shops supply what surfers truly need – not what they want, but what they truly need – a great board, a wetsuit, some surf shorts, wax, and a few...
“Outdoor Sports Insurance Shares Best Crime-Prevention Practices Amid 50% Rise in Theft Claims” by Amos Horn via OSI (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
With headline-making robberies of cycling, skiing, and outdoor retailers becoming a common occurrence, Outdoor Sports Insurance (outdoorsportsins.com) is encouraging outdoor businesses and specialty retailers to reexamine their security practices amidst a nationwide...
“Shoppers decide what makes a great in-store experience and here’s what they want” by Bobby Marhamat via Retail Customer Experience .com
Photo by istock.com What, exactly, do today’s shoppers want from an in-store experience? The answer is clearer than you might think. When it comes to retail, beauty is in the eye of the consumer. Shoppers ultimately dictate which retailers are hip and profitable, and...
“HOW BROOKLYN GOT ITS OWN EUROPEAN STYLE SKATE SPACE” by Kenny via Jenkem Mag
You might have seen footage floating around Instagram of a giant new skate spot somewhere in the middle of New York. Known officially as Under the K Bridge Park, this new hotspot is tucked away next to a recycling center and bus yard in the middle of...
“Is Customer Service A Battle? Apparently” by Bob Phibbbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
An article in the WSJ profiled jetBlue airlines employees - 10% of which were previously firefighters or cops. "Now as a JetBlue flight attendant, Mr. Harris, 56, says he thinks of himself more as a "security chaperone'' than a flight attendant. He says he...
“REDEFINING BLATANT LOCALISM – Elon Buying Twitter Got Me Thinking” by Anthony Pappalardo via Artless Industria
PHOTO: Yes, that’s a Space X Skateboard. As you probably know, Elon Musk and a group of investors bought Twitter to make it a “town square that promotes free speech,” or something. As most people who cover tech or even own stock know, Twitter’s business...
“How the Pandemic Saved Brick-and-Mortar Retail” by Archie Black via Total Retail
Credit: iStock.com by Marie LaFauci Retailers get a second chance with true omnichannel now within reach Today we all love — and have likely used — curbside pickup at some point over the last two years. But let’s be honest: there's no reason retailers...
“New Tactics CEO on Business Trends and More” plus link to 30 day free trial by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf (Executive Edition)
New Tactics CEO Dugan Baker - Photo courtesy of Tactics By Tiffany Montgomery | Published Apr 26, 2022 Important industry skate and snow retailer Tactics (BRA Distinguished Retail Member), which is a big online player in addition to operating three...
“2022 Trends For Social Commerce” by Mark Hook via Independent Retailer
Over the last 20 years, we have seen social media shift from simple, text-based updates to increasingly visual content, championed by app-based platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Now, new entrants such as TikTok and Pinterest are taking the trend even further....
“3 Data-Backed Ways to Drive Worker Retention, Productivity, Revenue and More” by Jordan Ekers via Total Retail
Credit: Getty Images by zoranm There’s a disconnect between retail associates and leaders on how effective their communications really are What do retail workers want? This is the question I’m hearing from every retailer I’ve spoken to in the past year. As we strive...
“9 Ways To Improve Your Body Language Nonverbal Skills” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog
Looking for how nonverbal communication impacts sales? Your body language sends wordless cues long before you try to close a sale. Have you ever been judged by a stranger?You probably felt it first and then noticed their body language:Closed arms...Not meeting your...
“Report: 80% of US shoppers use buy now, pay later to avoid credit card debt” by Tatiana Walk-Morris via Retail Dive
Tero Vesalainen via Getty Images Dive Brief: Following previous reports of increased digital payment adoption, the Experian Global Insights Report found that 62% of respondents said they use mobile wallets, and 63% use traditional forms of payment, the credit...
“Why reviews aren’t just nice-to-have in 2022 – 88% of customers check your online reviews plus free downloadable Google Reviews ebook” by Podium (BRA Supporting Vendor Partner)
Google reviews impact the customer journey more than ever. When it comes to getting found by your customers, local businesses—those with a physical presence—actually have a huge advantage. But if your business isn’t shining online, you’ll see fewer customers coming...
“How Red Bull Turned New Orleans Airport Into A Skate Park” by Jeremy Lang via Simple Flying
Red Bull has turned the old New Orleans Airport into a skatepark. After a new terminal in New Orleans International Airport was built, the original terminal has been closed since November 2019. The Red Bull Terminal Takeover took the opportunity and held an event...
“Here’s Why ‘Kook Shaming’ Is Ridiculous” by Will Sileo via The Inertia
https://youtu.be/EAaHmSj5nJ4 In my opinion, the best kind of comedy is the kind which picks out something that’s absolutely absurd in the world around us and highlights it. Bonus points if it’s something that we do on a daily basis and just didn’t realize how...
“Is Free Shipping Dead?” by Tom Ritman via The Robin Report plus link to save big on your shipping expenses
Everyone knows shipping is costly. Return shipping can be even costlier. In an effort to give consumers what they want, when they want it (aka good consumer service), retailers are running up costs for labor and packaging by shipping one item at a time. This practice...
“March Retail Sales Grew Despite Higher Inflation” by J. Craig Shearman via National Retail Federation
"We believe the strength of the consumer can carry the economy through this considerable economic uncertainty."NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay WASHINGTON – Retail sales grew in March even as inflation edged higher, the National Retail Federation said today.“March...