Legal

If you've spent any time at a major retailer recently you know the holiday season is rapidly approaching. Retailers all over the United States are preparing for what's typically their busiest time of the year. However, this year, retailers are finding it difficult to find qualified employees to fill their seasonal hiring needs due to…

Everyone loves parody products, those clever almost-branded gifts that draw in a customer, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store.  Everyone, that is, except the trademark owner. In a recent trademark case, the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier for big brands to enforce their trademarks against joke products. The case involved Silly Squeakers, a…

Chinese e-retailer Temu has filed a new lawsuit accusing rival SHEIN of violating U.S. antitrust law in its dealings with clothing manufacturers, escalating a legal clash for dominance in the fast-fashion market. Temu filed the new case on Friday in Boston federal court. The two companies are already embroiled in litigation in Chicago federal court, where SHEIN…

Footwear makers Crocs and rival Joybees have filed competing claims against each other in U.S. court in Colorado, as the companies clash over corporate trade secrets, intellectual property and competition in the market for casual shoes. Crocs sued Joybees in federal court last Thursday, expanding on a separate lawsuit that the Colorado-based company filed in 2021.…

By striking down student debt forgiveness last week, the U.S. Supreme Court not only added a hefty expense back into millions of Americans’ budgets, it also created a challenge for retailers already struggling to predict how consumers may spend in the coming months. The court’s decision squashed President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 per borrower in federal…

The Inform Consumers Act, a new law that aims to curb organized retail theft and the sale of counterfeit and harmful products on online platforms, takes effect on Tuesday as more retailers blame theft as a reason for lower profits, reports CNBC. Congress passed the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act — or the INFORM…

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Amazon.com, alleging the nation’s leading online retailer intentionally duped millions of consumers into signing up for its paid loyalty Prime program and “sabotaged” their attempts to cancel. The agency claims Amazon violated the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act by using so-called dark patterns, or…

Outdoor apparel brand Patagonia has filed a lawsuit against Nordstrom for allegedly selling “thousands” of counterfeit Patagonia items. The complaint, filed with a California federal court, states that the counterfeit items are being sold in Nordstrom Rack stores, The Fashion Law reports. Nordstrom was previously an authorized Patagonia dealer for many years, but no longer has that authorization. Patagonia…

The days when brands and retailers could turn a blind eye to where their products come from are over. Amid heightened awareness of social and environmental abuses throughout the supply chain, governments around the world are moving quickly to hold businesses accountable for the actions of their suppliers. New supply chain due diligence laws are…

A Nike customer is accusing the brand of greenwashing. In a complaint filed May 10 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, plaintiff Maria Guadalupe Ellis claimed that Nike uses “deceptive and misleading” statements when marketing its sustainability collection. Specifically, the suit claims that Nike “deceives consumers into believing that they're receiving…