Legal

The Container Store Files for Bankruptcy
December 23, 2024 at 8:04 pm

The Container Store — once the premier hub for all things storage and organization — filed for bankruptcy amid mounting debt. The 46-year-old retail chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Sunday in a Texas district court. It comes just days after Big Lots and Party City announced they will be closing down for good…

How E-Commerce Retailers Can Stay Tax Compliant Amid Holiday Sales Surges
December 18, 2024 at 9:16 am

For e-commerce retailers, the holiday season is more than just a busy period — it’s a high-stakes test of their tax compliance systems. With sales spiking across channels and jurisdictions, a minor compliance slipup can lead to costly penalties or damage to customer trust. Retailers need robust strategies to manage the holiday rush without impacting…

Albertsons Sues Kroger After Judge Rules Against Grocery Merger
December 11, 2024 at 1:15 pm

Albertsons on Wednesday formally terminated its proposed $25 billion merger with Kroger and filed a lawsuit against its supermarket competitor, saying Kroger violated its contract and didn’t follow through on commitments to help get the deal approved. It comes a day after a judge blocked the planned merger. In a news release, Albertsons said Kroger broke…

Amazon Sued By D.C. Attorney General Over Prime Delivery Neighborhood Access
December 4, 2024 at 12:51 pm

Washington D.C.'s attorney general sued Amazon.com on Wednesday, alleging the e-commerce giant excludes certain D.C-area neighborhoods from having access to Prime's fast delivery, according to the lawsuit. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said Amazon had "secretly" excluded two ZIP codes in Washington D.C. from having Prime delivery since 2022, according to a press release from his…

Vitamin Shoppe Owner Franchise Group Files for Bankruptcy
November 5, 2024 at 4:29 pm

Holding company Franchise Group Inc., also known as FRG, is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as significant losses and internal instability pushed the company beyond its limits, reports RetailWire. FRG is the parent company of well-known brands such as The Vitamin Shoppe, Pet Supplies Plus, and Buddy’s Home Furnishings. According to court documents filed…

New York State Enacts Retail Worker Safety Act
October 16, 2024 at 1:10 pm

The Retail Worker Safety Act (S. 8358B) applies to each retail employer in New York with at least 10 employees working at a retail store. Retail employers are defined as those “sell[ing] consumer commodities at retail and … not primarily engaged in the sale of food for consumption on the premises.” The Act's Requirements The…

US Antitrust Case Against Amazon to Move Forward
October 8, 2024 at 5:25 pm

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's case accusing Amazon.com of stifling competition in online retail will move forward, though some of the states that sued alongside the agency had their claims dismissed, court documents showed. U.S. District Judge John Chun in Seattle unsealed his ruling from Sept. 30, which dismissed some of the claims brought by…

Retailers Applaud DOJ Antitrust Suit Over Visa Debit Card Practices
September 24, 2024 at 7:00 pm

The National Retail Federation (NRF) welcomed a lawsuit announced Tuesday by the Department of Justice accusing Visa of violating federal antitrust law in its debit card practices but said the card network’s anticompetitive practices go further. The DOJ has filed a lawsuit against Visa alleging that some of its practices involving debit cards are anticompetitive and…

Checkout Challenged: Navigating the New Wave of Email Address Lawsuits in Massachusetts
August 21, 2024 at 7:15 pm

The digital marketplace is facing a new legal challenge that could reshape the online checkout experience. Class-action lawsuits targeting the near-universal practice of asking for an email address during checkout online are on the rise. As we previously reported, the summer started with a wave of class actions alleging violations of California’s Song-Beverly Credit Card…