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

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

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

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

by | 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...
“Gift cards gain popularity as top choice for holiday shoppers in 2025” by Lea Grgich via National Retail Federation (NRF) Newsletter articles

“Gift cards gain popularity as top choice for holiday shoppers in 2025” by Lea Grgich via National Retail Federation (NRF) Newsletter articles

by | Dec 24, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, Gift Cards, News, Retail Economy

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full swing, and plenty of consumers have gift cards on their shopping list. Gift cards rank as the second-most popular gift this holiday season and total spending on gift cards is expected to reach $29 billion this...
“From Clicks to Bricks: Taking Full Advantage of In-Store Pickup” by Grant Gustafson via Total Retail

“From Clicks to Bricks: Taking Full Advantage of In-Store Pickup” by Grant Gustafson via Total Retail

by | Nov 27, 2025 | Brick & Mortar, Customer Experience, Customer Service, E-Commerce, Opinion, Resources, Retail Strategy

Paths to purchase have changed significantly over the past decades, with customer journeys nearly unrecognizable compared to those of the early 2000s. With the internet at their fingertips, shoppers are more informed, connected to brands, and able to discover new...