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.

“Retailers could close more than 40K stores in the next 5 years” by Daphne Howland via Retail Dive

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...

“Unlocking AI Tools for Independent Retailers” (including on-demand link to view) by Tiffany Montgomery via SES Outdoor

by admin | Apr 14, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, Brick & Mortar, Industry, News, Resources

Shop Eat Surf Outdoor has assembled a panel of independent retailers who will share their personal journeys, their learning curves, and the specific ways they are integrating AI to make their businesses more efficient Register now for Unlocking AI Tools for...

“The Most Valuable Place Left Is One That Doesn’t Know You” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Apr 8, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Consumer Behavior, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Resources, Sales Training

It will be a place that has no idea who you are. There is a particular freedom in being unknown. No purchase history following you through the door. No algorithm anticipating your next move. No recommendations based on what people like you tend to buy. Just you,...

“Dick’s pulls back on Foot Locker closures amid store pilot success” by Cara Salpini via Retail Dive

by admin | Mar 25, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Commercial Real Estate, News

A Foot Locker store in Chicago. The retailer was acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods last year. Kaarin Moore/Retail Dive Dive Brief: Dick’s is planning to close fewer Foot Locker stores than it initially anticipated as it sees success with a “Fast Break” store pilot at...

“New Court Evidence Shows Amazon Working with Rivals to Quietly Raise Online Prices” by Jeanel Alvarado via Retail Boss

by admin | Mar 19, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, E-Commerce, News, Retail Crime

Court filings reveal that when Amazon and a rival “price match,” someone in the chain agrees to raise the price so both can safely match at a more expensive levels. California Attorney General Rob Bonta just exposed something most shoppers suspected but couldn’t...

“Etnies, éS, and Emerica Closed E-Commerce Sites for Skate Shop Day” by Tiffany Montgomery via Shop Eat Surf

by admin | Mar 5, 2026 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, E-Commerce, Event Planning, Holiday, News, Opinion, Shoe Market, Skateboard

Clockwise from top left: Swedish sales rep Ante with the Kiosk Skate Shop crew in Orebro, Sweden; Kevin “Spanky” Long delivered a hand-drawn postcard and donuts to Val Surf in Los Angeles; A special delivery of goodies for Slappy’s Garage in San...