Consumer Affairs & Relations

A new association of mobile and technology companies and associations is seeking greater openness in the mobile technology space. A coalition named Evolve is promoting the consumer benefits of unlicensed spectrum and new technologies for unlicensed spectrum like LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) and Licensed Assisted Access (LAA).

Whole Foods Market says it is slashing more than 1% of its workforce in an effort to lower prices for its customers and invest in technology upgrades, as the company fights against increasing competition in the organic grocery space.

Big Lots is giving customers a chance to support a cause likely to appeal to a large part of its core market: pediatric health care. Customers will have a chance to donate in-store at all 1,464 store locations and online to support Nationwide Children's Hospital. The program will run through Oct. 31 with 100% of the proceeds raised going to support Nationwide Children's.

The bankrupt Haggen supermarket chain has listed 111 locations for sale, many in California, as the company looks to refocus its operations on 37 stores in the Pacific Northwest.

Teen apparel retailer Hollister will remove the steps from its store entrances following a six-year court battle.

The company, owned by Abercrombie & Fitch Co., has agreed to eliminate the steps that part of the exterior design of many of its stores in order to make the doorways wheelchair accessible, the Associated Press reported. The change is part of a settlement approved by a federal judge.

Steinmart didn’t admit wrongdoing and the Securities and Exchange Commission didn’t bring any charges, but concluding a nearly five year old accounting investigation still cost the company $800,000.

An $800,000 fine may not sound like much to retailers with annual sales in the billions, but Steinmart is relatively small, generating sales of $311 million from 269 stores in the second quarter. An $800,000 fine represents 20% of the company’s net income for the period.

The upcoming Oct. 1 deadline for retailers to accept EMV-compliant, chip-based payment cards or face increased fraud liability mandates that retailers read card information stored in chips. However, the mandate does not specify whether the card be further verified by a PIN number or customer signature, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has a clear preference.