by Robert V. Willeford Stay-at-home orders as a result of COVID-19 have sparked an even greater increase in online purchases. More people are avoiding trips to the store and, instead, ordering online. The growth of online options has made it much easier to reach a potential customer on the other side of the country, or […]
legislation
The COVID-19 Related Acts – Does the Stimulus Help Retailers?
By: Rania V. Sedhom It’s unclear when COVID-19 truly made its presence known. However, most retailers were closed in major markets by mid-March and had no choice but to make decisions that immediately affected their employees, customers, and supply chain. Most of the companies with whom I work furloughed 50 percent of their employees and […]
Seven Steps on How Retailers Can Get CCPA Compliant
The issue of consumer privacy has been exploding recently, especially with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and everything involving Facebook for the past couple of years. If you’re like most business owners and unsure of what the CCPA is or if you should be worried, just know that if you’re a for-profit business in […]
FDA Sends Warning Letters to 15 CBD Companies Amid Safety Concerns
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to 15 companies for illegally selling products containing cannabidiol (CBD) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Based on the lack of scientific information supporting the safety of CBD in food, the FDA is also indicating that it cannot […]
Significant TCPA Fax Victory Saves Small Businesses Millions
If you send out group fax notifications for your store promotions, this one is a victory for small businesses everywhere. The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ruled faxes sent to “online fax services” are not faxes to “telephone fax machines,” a major victory declaring online fax services outside […]
How E-Cigarette Regulations Are Affecting Retailers
Vaping and e-cigarette resellers are all on edge with the deaths and illnesses that have reportedly been linked to them. Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger and Rite Aid are only some of the retailers that have decided to pull these products from their shelves. With the developing regulations in a growing number of states and municipalities, businesses […]
Retailers Outside of California Still Affected by the CCPA
The starting date for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is looming over retailers’ heads. Whether or not you think your business may be affected by it, there’s a good chance it might. Waiting until after the holiday season to comply with the act can lead to massive fines, the loss of customers, and even […]
Tax Season for Retailers – What You Need to Know
Last year, the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling that changed online tax law. The original law predated the internet and was more reflective of mail-order catalogs. Previously, retailers only needed to collect and remit sales tax if they had a physical presence in that state. On June 21st, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that […]
Year in Review: A Recap of Retail in 2018 from A – Z
2018 was an exciting year for retail. Evolving technology, changing consumer preferences, and political shakeups all had a large impact on our industry. Here is Independent Retailer’s roundup of top trends, influencers, buzzwords, and developments that affected retail in 2018. Many of these topics were explored in greater detail throughout the year – those articles […]
Controversial Overtime Rule About To Become Final – No Refunds and No Exchanges
n March 2014, President Barak Obama sent an executive memorandum directing Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to “modernize and streamline” the overtime exemption regulations.
