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 20, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Governmental Affairs, News, Predictions, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs
Credit: Getty Images by MoMo Productions Retail is experiencing a spending surge as consumers shop ahead of the looming tariff enactment dates. While this provides a welcome sales boost, retailers need to prepare for potential spending slowdowns that will occur should...
by admin | May 16, 2025 | Governmental Affairs, News, Predictions, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs
The latest news that China and the U.S. have agreed to a 90-day ceasefire — albeit with tariff rates still substantially higher than before all of this started — has thrown the retail industry into yet another stage of panic as they scramble to see if they...
by admin | May 14, 2025 | News, Political Action, Shipping, Small Business, Tariffs
Credit: Getty Images by narvikk The U.S. and China issued a joint statement on Monday announcing an agreement to cut reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, with both sides “recognizing the importance of a sustainable, long-term, and mutually beneficial...
by admin | May 12, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, HR, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training
Your payroll is still running even when the floor is empty. Here’s how to make every minute count. Originally, I shared just 50 of these ideas. The response was so strong, I decided recently to expand it. Now there are 75 ways your employees can stay sharp,...
by admin | May 10, 2025 | BRA Community Partners, Brick & Mortar, Community, Industry, News, Opinion, Surf
Retailers showing support for the upcoming Surf Shop Day on May 17. Photos courtesy of SIMA. Surf Shop Day came from a casual chat between Mike Vavak, founder of Building The Revolution, and a friend. The two started brainstorming about a surf alternative to...
by admin | May 6, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Retail Economy, Skateboard, Tariffs
There’s been a lot of speculation about the exact effects of the latest tariff (145%) on Chinese goods. And while we’re sure every at-home economist likely has a few valid points, we wanted to hear directly from the people actually making and selling skateboards about...
by admin | May 4, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Governmental Affairs, News, Predictions, Retail Strategy, Shipping, Tariffs
Small businesses, which make up 98% of retailers and support more than 13 million American jobs, are particularly vulnerable. Owning a small business embodies the ideals of freedom and opportunity that are central to the American Dream. However, tariffs jeopardize the...
by admin | Apr 30, 2025 | Governmental Affairs, News, Opinion, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Tariffs
You really can’t argue with Joe Feldman, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group: “We are spending a lot of time on something that continues to change and is rapidly changing. It’s not even worth trying.” Ever-changing, ever-chaotic, ever-devastating, the Trump Tariff...
by admin | Apr 28, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy, Sales Training
The scene plays out in one of America’s most prestigious department stores: A customer looking to purchase a high-end coat walks the sales floor for 15 minutes. During that time, not a single employee acknowledges him. Some are busy with their phones; others are...
by admin | Apr 24, 2025 | Industry, Opinion, Safety and preparedness, Skateboard, Skateboard Film Review
People throw out the words “iconic” and “legendary” pretty damn willy-nilly these days… Hell I’m probably guilty of it too when referencing my niche interests that nobody else gives a shit about. But when scrawling out a list of iconic skate videos, it’s...
