FROM THE CEO

The world is vastly different today

Michigan Retailers Association operates on a fiscal year, and June 30 marked the completion of MRA’s 81st year as a company. As we embark on our 82nd year of advocating for Michigan’s retail industry, the world is vastly different from where we were a year ago when we were just months into the pandemic. Most notably, COVID restrictions for employers and consumers have ended. In late June 2021, the state rescinded the epidemic order requiring masks and limiting gatherings. Similarly, the COVID MIOSHA rules have also been lifted for non-healthcare businesses. Retail is now fully open, and we’ll continue advocating to keep it that way.

While the positives decidedly outweigh the headwinds, the current state of affairs does feel a bit like a sports car that is waiting to hit the next gear.

Stop me if this sounds familiar to you: sales are increasing but you’re having trouble sourcing your entire inventory. Customer traffic is picking up and you’re thankful to be able to operate at 100% capacity, but you’re having trouble staffing all open positions. There are industry events you’d like to attend or vacations you’d like to take but you can’t pull yourself away from your business due to coverage issues.

Almost every member we talk to is experiencing the same issues with labor shortages and supply chain inventory. Of course the continued federal unemployment benefits are not helping to get people back to work. The total weekly benefit, $662, consisting of $362 Michigan dollars and $300 federal, equates to $16.55 per hour for a 40-hour week. Even if a business offers to pay more than that, it’s tough to compete with the lure of getting paid to stay home and not work. Unfortunately, calls from the business community to eliminate the additional benefits have fallen on deaf ears. Optimism is strong as the economy starts to ignite.

As we shift the engine of that sports car into the next gear, MRA has many exciting initiatives. For example, we’ve partnered with Cold Box Films to offer discounted video production services to our members. Cold Box produced MRA’s award winning videos and if you are looking to expand your marketing profile in this ever-changing digital world, Cold Box is the company for you. Video production may seem daunting, but they are a breath of fresh air and have the ability to capture the exact story you want to tell. Check out the interview with Cold Box’s Tracey Spaulding on steps to take before yelling, “Action!”

We’ve also created a new discount for Retailers Insurance Company policyholders. Similar to a multi-policy discount, if you participate in one of our other services, like our merchant processing or shipping program, you can save an additional 10 percent off your workers’ compensation policy. There are perks for loyalty, and our perk is 10 percent!

So, while it might take a minute for the economy to start firing on all cylinders and for employment to fully rebound, Michigan Retailers Association is here for you.

Full speed ahead!

Even with such challenges, the retail industry is sparking back to life. In our May Retail Index, 70 percent of retailers reported an increase in sales over April and 57 percent believe business will continue to rebound. WILLIAM J. HALLAN MRA President and Chief Executive Officer