Legal

California’s new consumer privacy law is facing a backlash from businesses, including retailers, across the U.S. that contend the law will hurt their businesses, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 grants consumers more control over and insight into the spread of their personal information online, creating one…

In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss two Supreme Court rulings in the past week that will have an impact on the retail industry going forward. First up is the High Court's decision to side with states in the South Dakota vs. Wayfair case — giving…

The Supreme Court handed American Express a win Monday in a lawsuit over rules it imposes on merchants that accept its cards. Under their contracts, merchants which accept American Express generally can’t encourage customers to use other credit cards, even though they charge merchants lower fees. The federal government and a group of states sued over…

Internet retailers can be required to collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. Brick-and-mortar businesses have long complained that they're disadvantaged by having to charge sales taxes while many of their online competitors do not. States have said that they're missing out on tens of billions…

Just weeks after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica crisis, the compliance deadline for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union (and really, all companies with international reach) cannot come at a better time for businesses and consumers alike. With the regulation coming into effect before we know it, retailers need to kick their plans…

In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the implications for retailers’ businesses, steps they can take to ensure compliance, and more. Make sure to check out this video, as the regulation goes into effect a week from today (May…

Burberry recently filed a lawsuit against Target claiming the discount store retailer copied its trademark plaid on apparel and accessories such as eyewear, luggage, scarves and other items. "Despite being aware of Burberry's exclusive trademark rights, Target nevertheless has repeatedly infringed these rights by selling a variety of products bearing close imitations and counterfeits of…

With written and oral arguments in the South Dakota v. Wayfair Supreme Court case now on the record, we face a time of uncertainty as we wait for the Court’s decision this summer. Retailers should prepare now for likely changes in how and where they collect taxes — no matter the outcome. First, some background.…

Footwear retailer Nine West is preparing to file for bankruptcy by as early as this week, according to a report Thursday. Aside from the bankruptcy filing, the White Plains, New York, company is planning to sell its intellectual property to Authentic Brands Group, a licensing firm that recently said it would purchase clothing brand Nautica, Reuters…

Target Corp has agreed to review its policies for screening job applicants and pay $3.74 million to settle a lawsuit claiming its use of criminal background checks kept thousands of blacks and Hispanics from obtaining employment. The preliminary settlement filed on Thursday with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan requires a judge’s approval. It resolves claims that…