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Specialty Retailers and the Board Sports Lifestyle
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Specialty Retailers and the Board Sports Lifestyle
Surf | Skate | Snow | SUP | Swim | Outdoor | Wake

Lower day to day costs, increase margins, create more remarkable customer experiences

Specialty Retailers and the Board Sports Lifestyle
Surf | Skate | Snow | SUP | Swim | Outdoor | Wake

Stay Current on the Latest Industry News and Consumer Trends

Specialty Retailers and the Board Sports Lifestyle
Surf | Skate | Snow | SUP | Swim | Outdoor | Wake

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 at least four times per week. Be sure to scroll through the most recent articles or use the Search/Lookup feature 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 for free. 

“How to Run an Efficient, Impactful and Successful Sales Contest” by staff via Shop Eat Surf (reposted with permission)

“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...

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“Unlocking Inbound Shipping Success: 5 Must-Have Resources to Overcome Your Challenges” by Leah Palnick via PartnerShip plus expanded BRA Shipping Program Benefit for DRMs

“Unlocking Inbound Shipping Success: 5 Must-Have Resources to Overcome Your Challenges” by Leah Palnick via PartnerShip plus expanded BRA Shipping Program Benefit for DRMs

When you think about how to optimize your shipping operations, the freight you receive from vendors might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, you have more control over your inbound shipping than you may realize, and when you have the right resources...

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“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

“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...

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“Retailing and Partnering With Nonprofits: How to Start a Fundraising Program and Make a Difference” by Jon Biedermann via TR plus a list of BRA Community Partners (we suggest collaborating with at least two annually)

“Retailing and Partnering With Nonprofits: How to Start a Fundraising Program and Make a Difference” by Jon Biedermann via TR plus a list of BRA Community Partners (we suggest collaborating with at least two annually)

How to Start a Fundraising Program and Make a Difference | Credit: Getty Images by Peter Dazeley In today's world, retail companies are faced with intense competition and are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. One way to...

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“2024 Retail Trends: How the Latest Technologies Continue to Shape the Industry” by Pierre Kremer

“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...

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“Retail Tech to Make Shoppers Fall in Love with Your Store” by Pankaj Mathur via iVendRetail Blog

“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...

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“Relationships vs. Transactions and the Future of Email” by Jon Stamell via Total Retail

“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...

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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

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...

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“2024 Predictions: 5 Trends That Will Shape the In-Store Shopping Experience” by David Barker via Total Retail

“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...

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“How To Set A New Direction For Retail 2024” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

“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...

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“Surf Expo to Host Exciting Lineup of Events, Networking, Seminars and Features at January 2024 Show” by surf Expo staff via Surf Expo blog

“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...

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“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

“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...

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“Retail Holiday Sales: How to Sell to Men and Help Them Buy Like Heroes” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

“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...

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“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

“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

Happy Earth Day, everyone!!! 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...

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“Why Retailers Need AI to Reach the Customer and Outshine the Competition This Holiday Season and Beyond” by Cynthia Sener via Total Retail Report

“Why Retailers Need AI to Reach the Customer and Outshine the Competition This Holiday Season and Beyond” by Cynthia Sener via Total Retail Report

Credit: iStock.com by Userba011d64_201 This year,  the U.S. experienced a 14 percent decrease in customer loyalty, falling from 79 percent to 68 percent. With inflation still impacting today’s consumer, businesses must become agile and shift how they reach...

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“2024 Brings Higher Shipping Costs: FedEx and UPS Rates on the Rise” by Jen Deming of BRA Partnership Shipping Program

“2024 Brings Higher Shipping Costs: FedEx and UPS Rates on the Rise” by Jen Deming of BRA Partnership Shipping Program

Get ready for a hit to your shipping budget in 2024 as FedEx and UPS plan to bump up their rates by an average of 5.9%. But don't be fooled by that number alone. Thanks to various fees and other adjustments, your actual shipping costs will likely rise even higher. The...

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“Unlock Your Best Holiday Season Yet: A Retailer’s Ultimate Guide to Boosting Sales and Winning Customers” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

“Unlock Your Best Holiday Season Yet: A Retailer’s Ultimate Guide to Boosting Sales and Winning Customers” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

Retailers face intense competition during the holidays. How can you prepare for the holidays with your crew? The key is to start early. This guide offers holiday retail sales strategies to optimize your store's performance. Preparing brick-and-mortar stores for Black...

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