That's right! A store is still private property even though the business is open to the public. You should get permission from a manager before filming or taking photos inside a store.

Correct! Chances are any story you cover on the retail beat will fit into one of these five themes: Trends, holidays, store openings, store closings, and new technology.

You got it! This group was a significant player in the national health-care debate in 2012-14 and has also weighed in on online sales tax collection.

That's right! Commercial developers seek to build successful shopping centers, so they must understand retailers and stay on top of the latest store formats and popular brands. They tend to have the scoop on new stores coming to town and which ones may be leaving.

Correct! Although you are welcome to directly message a brand on social media, it isn't listed as one of the best ways to make connections with your local retail scene.

Correct! Brick-and-mortar stores spend a lot of time analyzing and adjusting their visual displays to help maximize traffic and sales.

Correct! This refers to the code used to identify each type of product in a store. For example, all of the Honey Nut Cheerios will have one SKU, while the Multigrain Cheerios will have a different SKU. The number of SKUs in a store can give you an idea of the diversity of products it carries.

That's right! Holiday stories should be about what's interesting. While that may be about what is new and different this year, sometimes readers also want to read about something familiar they find interesting, such as the confectioner's process of making chocolates for Valentine's Day.

Super star! That is correct!

Correct! The data in these reports include a much broader range of retailers than same-store sales. It also measures sales at all stores (net sales), not just those open at least a year (same-store sales).