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.

“Tariffs Threaten the American Dream (The Impact of Tariffs on Small Businesses and Consumers) via National Retail Federation (NRF) Blog

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...

“7 Critical Service Failures Driving Customers Away (And How Training Solves Them)” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor blog

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...

“Why industry data is important for specialty retailers plus insightful interview with George Leichtweis (BRA Chairman and Owner of Modern Skate & Surf)” via Trackfly blog

by admin | Apr 16, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Distinguished Retail Members, Legends, Resources, Retail History, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Push play to listen to this insightful interview of George The begining of Modern Skate and Surf MARK‍‍George, could you tell me a little bit about the history of Modern Skate and Surf, you’ve been around since 1979 is that right? GEORGEThat’s correct. I...

“What Can Retailers Do About Trump’s Tariffs?” by Mark Cohen via the The Robin Report

by admin | Apr 14, 2025 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Opinion, Political Action, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy

The $8+ trillion retail industry is the backbone of the American economy and like all industries, success in retail relies on the presence of orderly strategies and planning disciplines. It’s difficult enough to accommodate the ever-changing landscape of consumer...

“Save Your Margins: 15 Retail Management Tactics” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Apr 8, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Governmental Affairs, News, Resources, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy, Sales Training

All retail chains face a brutal reality in 2025. Your margins are under attack from three directions: Promotion addiction: Your marketing team runs flash sales that train customers to wait for discounts, delivering temporary revenue spikes but permanent margin erosion...

“Retail’s AI Taskmaster: Technology Turns Associates into Digital Servants” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Mar 26, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, HR, m-commerce, Resources, Retail Strategy, Social Media

I shared a story last month about a visit to Saks where associates were too engrossed in their smartphones to look up at shoppers. A friend commented they had the same experience and when they asked the manager, they were told, “Oh, they’re clienteling.” First, I...