Legal

Retail Right Now: June 16
June 16, 2017 at 11:36 am

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Executive Editor Joe Keenan talks about Gymboree's bankruptcy filing, Sears’ jobs cuts, as well as some breaking news — Amazon has purchased Whole Foods, and Wal-Mart has acquired Bonobos.

Trade Associations Sue Massachusetts Over Internet Sales Tax
June 14, 2017 at 10:27 am

NetChoice, a trade association of internet companies and organizations, and American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA), a trade association representing the interests of companies, individuals and organizations engaged in and supporting catalog marketing, have filed a suit to stop Massachusetts from requiring out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes. The groups are suing over a regulation — slated…

Gymboree Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
June 12, 2017 at 10:43 am

Children's clothing chain Gymboree filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today after retaining a turnaround firm last month to assist with its operations. The children’s apparel retailer, which also announced the departure of Chief Financial Officer Andrew North, has been in discussions with lenders since the beginning of 2017 as it grapples with a heavy…

Retail Right Now: June 9
June 9, 2017 at 9:48 am

In this episode of Retail Right Now, filmed this week at the Internet Retailer Conference and Expo in Chicago, we review the top retail news of the week, including Sears reaching an amicable resolution in its dispute with power tool supplier One World Technologies; Wal-Mart allegedly punishing workers for using sick days; and Amazon.com's Prime price…

Nordstrom Family Considers Taking Retailer Private
June 8, 2017 at 11:14 am

It's rumored that members of the Nordstrom family are thinking about taking the company private to combat declining sales. Reports say shares of the company, which had a market value of $6.72 billion as of Wednesday closing, jumped as much as 18 percent in its largest gain since February 2009. The group, which owns 31.2 percent of…

Sears Resolves Spat With Power Tool Vendor
June 7, 2017 at 11:53 am

Sears has resolved its dispute with One World Technologies, the maker of Craftsman tools. After blogging last month that the department store retailer threatened to sue One World, CEO Eddie Lampert recently updated the post with a note explaining the matter had been resolved. According to CNBC, Sears has been working with suppliers to try…

Trump's Plan to Slash Food Stamp Assistance Could Impact Retailers
June 6, 2017 at 9:38 am

President Trump's proposed budget is expected to slash $193 billion from the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from 2018 to 2028. SNAP currently has an annual cost of around $70 billion. Should Trump's plan be approved by Congress, millions of Americans may be forced to bear the brunt of the drastic changes, with the…

Whole Foods’ Overcharging Lawsuit Revived
June 5, 2017 at 11:47 am

A federal appeals court on Friday ordered Whole Foods Market Inc. to face a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing it of overcharging shoppers in New York City by overstating the weight of pre-packaged food in its supermarkets, according to news reports. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said on Friday that a lower court…

Wal-Mart Accused of Punishing Workers for Sick Days
June 5, 2017 at 11:02 am

A report released last week accuses Wal-Mart of routinely refusing to accept doctors’ notes and penalizing workers who need to take care of an ailing family member. The report was filed with the employment commission by a worker's group called A Better Balance on behalf of Arleja Stevens, a Wal-Mart employee who said she was…

Amazon to Refund Parents for Children's In-App Purchases
June 2, 2017 at 9:58 am

Amazon.com is being forced to refund parents whose children made purchases on the online retailer's mobile apps without their permission. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced earlier this week that the refunds could total more than $70 million. The settlement brings closure to a nearly three-year legal battle surrounding the issue of charges made between…