Legal

Craft retailer Joann Inc filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware on Wednesday, saying that inventory shortages had forced it to back into bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year. Joann said it intends to seek a buyer for its business, which has the "potential" to survive under the right ownership. If…

Retailers of all sizes, whether small boutique shops or national chains, face numerous challenges when it comes to fulfilling their tax obligations to local governments. While much attention is often given to the financial burden of taxes themselves, the administrative processes involved in paying these taxes can be equally daunting and time consuming for retailers.…

As a lawyer and entrepreneur, I’m fascinated by the legal and business landscape for e-commerce retailers. Amid the opportunities technology continues to open for the industry, legal challenges abound, especially around privacy laws, the lawsuits they spawn, and how retailers can best avoid or prepare for them. The first thing to know is that any…

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…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…