Below you will find helpful and relevant articles that we carefully curate for the benefit of our B.R.A. Retail Members almost every day. Be sure to scroll through the most recent article or use the Search/Lookup feature to find topics and keywords related to articles that may help you to lower costs, increase margins or create more remarkable customer experiences.
by admin | May 21, 2026 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Merchandising, Opinion, Retail Strategy
We live in an age of abundance: more information, more options, more products, more channels, more noise. On the surface, this abundance appears to be a gift—greater access, freedom, and personalization. But beneath that promise lies a growing tension: complexity...
by admin | May 18, 2026 | Customer Experience, Debate, Insurance, News, Opinion, Outdoor, Surf, Tourism
The Wavegarden pool under construction at DSRT SURF in Palm Springs, California. Photo: Wavegarden It feels like a lifetime ago that Kelly Slater unveiled his clandestine wave pool project in the Central California farmland. It’s been a little over a decade since...
by admin | May 15, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, News
Credit: Getty Images by Paper Boat Creative Retail has always been a human-centered business. Every sale, return, upsell and resolution depends on an employee’s ability to read emotion, respond appropriately, and guide a customer through an experience that feels both...
by admin | May 12, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Private Label, Resources, Retail Strategy
Private label sales continue to grow, reaching a record $283 billion last year, with sales and unit volume growth outpacing those of national brands. While retailers are often selling private label products that are similar to, or even dupes of,...
by admin | May 8, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Generations, News, Opinion, Predictions, Retail Strategy
Fly View Productions/Getty Images The generation craves in-person retail experiences much like Gen Z, but their experience growing up in virtual worlds have created unique expectations for in-store shopping. Just when it felt like we finally had a firm grip on what...
by admin | May 2, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Sales Training
Your associate looks up at the register and says: “Anything else?”The customer says no. The sale closes. And roughly 10% of that transaction walks out the door with them.Not because the customer did not want more. Because your associate handed them the...
by admin | Apr 27, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Clearance Sales / Discounting, Commercial Real Estate, Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, E-Commerce, News
An Eddie Bauer store in March 2026 that is slated to shutter this year. Closures over the next five years could weigh on already struggling malls. Daphne Howland/Retail Dive Tariffs and immigration policies are weighing on the industry and could drive even more...
by admin | Apr 24, 2026 | News, Resources, Sales Training
Retail training fails for one reason: it protects associates from failure instead of using it as the mechanism for learning. Videos, quizzes, and microlearning apps improve completion rates but do not change behavior on the floor. The only thing that does is repeated...
by admin | Apr 21, 2026 | News, Surf Expo, Trade Shows
Surf Expo Show Director Roy Turner, second from left, with the Coastal Edge crew from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Photo by Surf Expo. As Surf Expo celebrates its 50th anniversary, the show continues to serve as a vital hub for the surf, resort, swim, and coastal outdoor...
by admin | Apr 17, 2026 | News
A shipping container is offloaded at the Port of Los Angeles on Sep. 25, 2026. Mario Tama via Getty Images The First Sale valuation method has helped companies lower their tariff costs for decades, but renewed scrutiny claims it harms U.S. production. Retailers, along...
