Legal

Zappos customers who had their data stolen in a 2012 data breach will receive only a meager 10 percent discount to use on the online footwear and apparel retailer's website, as part of a proposed class-action lawsuit settlement. Their lawyers, on the other hand, are set to receive $1,620,000 in attorneys’ fees and other legal…

A team of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigators has begun interviewing small businesses that sell products on Amazon.com to determine whether the e-commerce giant is using its market power to hurt competition. Several attorneys and at least one economist have been conducting interviews, according to three merchants. All were asked what percentage of revenue their businesses derive from Amazon vs.…

Walmart is suing Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle and clean energy company, after its solar panels atop seven Walmart stores allegedly caught on fire, CNBC reported. The lawsuit, which details evacuations, damaged property and inventory, claims breach of contract, gross negligence and failure to live up to industry standards. Walmart is asking Tesla to remove its solar panels from…

In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned 27 years of legal precedent holding that no state could require an out-of-state retailer to collect sales or use taxes from purchasers absent the retailer having a physical presence in that state. In South Dakota v. Wayfair, the Court upheld a South Dakota statute that required remote…

Barneys New York may join the list of retail stores filing for bankruptcy, according to CBS News. The luxury department store is considering its options, including bankruptcy, due to high rents and a changing consumer landscape. Most of Barneys' stores are in prestigious neighborhoods in cities like Boston, New York and Los Angeles, and rent prices at…

In a letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission on June 30, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) voiced its support for the FTC's antitrust probes of Amazon.com and other large technology companies, reports Footwear News. RILA's member organizations include big-box retailers (and perhaps not coincidentally, Amazon competitors) Walmart, Target, Gap, Best Buy, and many other…

The global cannabis market could be worth $32 billion by 2022, and consequently presents huge opportunities for retailers. While the transition from prohibition presents huge opportunities, it also presents huge challenges. BDS Analytics commented that 2018 was a year of "constantly diminishing forecasts," as retailers struggled to compete against the black market in a heavily…

Truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) filed a complaint Tuesday to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Williams-Sonoma Inc. over deceptive Made in USA marketing statements, according to a press release. The complaint alleges that hundreds of statements found in Williams-Sonoma brands’ marketing materials are deceptive in nature, claiming products are made or crafted in the USA "despite the…

Sears on Thursday filed a lawsuit against its former CEO Eddie Lampert and a number of its high-profile past board members, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for allegedly stealing billions of dollars from the retailer. Sears Holdings filed for bankruptcy this past October, after years of losses under Lampert, who was then its chairman, CEO and largest shareholder.…

FashionPass, an Los Angeles-based fashion rental business, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against fashion rental service leader Rent the Runway, reports Footwear News. The suit alleges Rent the Runway "embarked upon a wrongful, anti-competitive scheme and conspiracy to eliminate competition from FashionPass, rather than fairly competing against FashionPass in the marketplace," according to an email sent…