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.


“Opinion: Surf Shop Day Highlights Importance of Shops in Surf Culture” by Vipe Desai and Mike Vavak via Shop Eat Surf X Outdoor

“Opinion: Surf Shop Day Highlights Importance of Shops in Surf Culture” by Vipe Desai and Mike Vavak via Shop Eat Surf X Outdoor

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

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

by | 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...