A new set of California laws will require online marketplaces to gather verifiable identifying information about high volume third party sellers, or else boot them off the platform. The laws, which seek to combat the resale of stolen goods online, call for marketplaces and sellers to ramp up their consumer disclosures around sellers’ identities and options for consumers to report suspected stolen goods.
Continue Reading Online Marketplaces: It’s Time to Track, Verify and Disclose Seller Info
Recently, Colorado’s new $0.27 retail delivery fee went into effect. The fee targets all deliveries by a motor vehicle that have at least one item of taxable and tangible personal property. This new levy impacts both in-state and out-of-state retailers, requiring those entities to register with the Colorado Dept. of Revenue and remit funds to the State.
The New York Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (A8352/S7428), if passed, will be the first US law to explicitly place sustainability requirements aimed at large fashion companies. These requirements would apply to fashion retailers and manufacturers that:
Continue Reading New York Fashion Sustainability Act: Now In Committee
The FTC has sent a strong message to industry that it plans to hold companies responsible for using endorsements and customer testimonials that deceive consumers. The recent warning signals the FTC’s focus on fake reviews and endorsements and the agency’s intent to hold brands and advertising service providers accountable where necessary. The agency is paying particularly close attention to how brands communicate with customers through third party influencers on social media.
Continue Reading FTC Signals Plan to Enforce Civil Penalties for Deceptive Endorsements
In today’s COVID-era, more retailers are offering innovative solutions for customers to shop with minimal brick-and-mortar browsing time. Options to place an order online and pick up your items in the store are extremely popular and will likely stick around post-pandemic. These options are convenient and allow customers to avoid dealing with delayed shipping.
Continue Reading Best Practices for In-Store and Curbside Pickup
Overriding the governor’s veto of H.B. 732 (2020), the Maryland Senate on February 12, 2021 passed the nation’s first state tax on the digital advertising revenues pulled in by large companies. This development follows attempts by various other states like New York to directly regulate digital advertising and ecommerce services in new ways. We took a look at the Maryland bill to find out what advertisers – and specifically retailers – need to know about its details and potential pitfalls.
Continue Reading Maryland Breaks Ground with Digital Advertising Tax
Governor Gavin Newsom of California vetoed a bill that would have created new limitations on data sharing for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies.
Continue Reading California Governor Pulls the Plug on Genetic Information Privacy Act
World renowned beauty brand and Sheppard Mullin client Glossier is standing behind its values with a new initiative to provide grant funding to beauty companies owned by Black entrepreneurs.
Continue Reading Highlighting Initiatives Fighting Racial Inequity: Glossier Supports Entrepreneurs and Sheppard Mullin Trains Police Departments