Consumer Affairs & Relations

New York -- A Friday report by Bloomberg said that Office Depot is considering selling the remaining 50% of its Mexican unit to Grupo Gigante SAB, which currently owns the other half.

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg reported that Grupo Gigante is in talks with local banks to fund the acquisition of Office Depot de Mexico.
 

By Ben Carrasco, litigation associate, Smith, Robertson, Elliott & Douglas, LLP, Austin, Texas,
[email protected]

The apparent advantage online retailers have over their brick-and-mortar counterparts may soon be gone now that new legislation seeking to enforce the collection of sales tax for all retailers has been introduced.

New York -- Tiffany & Co. has filed suit against Costco Wholesale Corp., alleging alleges trademark infringement, dilution, counterfeiting, unfair competition, injury to business reputation, false and deceptive business practices and false advertising. Tiffany said it filed the suit “to prevent further sales of counterfeit diamond engagement rings and for damages associated with prior sales.”

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Harris Teeter on Wednesday confirmed an earlier Wall Street Journal report that the grocer was in the process of exploring strategic options. 

Columbus, Ohio -- The Limited has established an interim “Office of the President” to manage the day-to-day operations of the business while it searches for a new CEO. The retailer said that its chief executive, Linda Heasley, who joined in 2007, is stepping down to pursue other interests effective Feb. 15.
   
The interim office will be filled by three current executives, John Buell, EVP and CFO; Nicolas Frechette, SVP and general merchandise manager; and William Acevedo, SVP of stores; who will report to the board of directors.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Consumer Electronics Association has issued praise for the U.S. Congress for introducing legislation to establish sales tax fairness.

New York -- Richard Schulze, founder of Best Buy Co., may abandon a buyout bid and instead line up investors to take a minority position in the electronics retailer, Reuters reported.
 
Schulze informed the Best Buy board in August that he was interested in partnering with private equity partners to buy the struggling consumer electronics company. But he has been unable to get enough support from banks to finance a deal that would allow him to take it private, the report said.