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.

“Why Shopify’s 2023 AI Releases Could Change the SMB E-Commerce Game” by David Lachowicz via Total Retail

by admin | Dec 22, 2023 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, E-Commerce, News, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Credit: Getty Images by Marko Geber Rare is the e-commerce small to midsize business (SMB) that has the time, resources and expertise to build its own website. It’s basically Amazon.com, Shopify, a Shopify competitor, or bust. Thanks to a bunch of artificial...

“Retail Holiday Sales: How to Sell to Men and Help Them Buy Like Heroes” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Dec 16, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Service, Holiday, Merchandising, Opinion, Retail Strategy

As a retailer, I loved the day before Christmas Eve. All the planners had purchased, and the after-Christmas sales had begun. The guys were now considering going shopping… Historically, on Christmas Eve, the crowds gradually thin out, and you begin to notice...

“Why Retailers Need AI to Reach the Customer and Outshine the Competition This Holiday Season and Beyond” by Cynthia Sener via Total Retail Report

by admin | Dec 4, 2023 | Artificial Intelligence / CHAT GPT, E-Commerce, News, Retail Strategy, Retail Technologies

Credit: iStock.com by Userba011d64_201 This year,  the U.S. experienced a 14 percent decrease in customer loyalty, falling from 79 percent to 68 percent. With inflation still impacting today’s consumer, businesses must become agile and shift how they reach...

“Store Window Display Design: How To Grab Customer Attention” by Bob Phibbs via The Retail Doctor Blog

by admin | Dec 2, 2023 | Brick & Mortar, Community, Customer Experience, News, Retail Strategy

Just like people quickly decide if they like a stranger by the look of their clothes, when it comes to retail storefronts, first impressions also happen in seconds. The window displays are your brand’s clothes. Those displays’ visual impact on your...

“Apparel Retail Prepares for an Uncertain Holiday Season” by Dennis Limmer via Retail Dive

by admin | Nov 23, 2023 | Apparel /Fashion, Brick & Mortar, Holiday, News, Predictions, Retail Economy, Retail Strategy

PHOTO BY PARKER BURCHFIELD ON UNSPLASH In the past year, apparel retailers such as Gap Inc. and Urban Outfitters battled an inventory surplus, forcing them to heavily discount items. This summer, they reported smoother sales, considerably reducing the need for...

“2024 Brings Higher Shipping Costs: FedEx and UPS Rates on the Rise” by Jen Deming of BRA Partnership Shipping Program

by admin | Nov 15, 2023 | Associate Members, Brick & Mortar, E-Commerce, News, Resources, Retail Strategy, Returns, Shipping

Get ready for a hit to your shipping budget in 2024 as FedEx and UPS plan to bump up their rates by an average of 5.9%. But don’t be fooled by that number alone. Thanks to various fees and other adjustments, your actual shipping costs will likely rise even...