Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from senior VP and general counsel Mallory Duncan in response to U.S. District Court Judge John Gleeson’s approval of a controversial antitrust lawsuit over credit card swipe fees:

Walmart’s ad match policy states that if its customers find an item at another store at a lower price, it will honor the lower price. In fact, the retailer is currently touting its Christmas ad match policy, which covers electronics, toys and grocery produce.

So far 20 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws permitting and regulating the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Colorado and Washington have gone further and legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Moreover, Americans’ tolerance for the legalization of marijuana is increasing. An October 2013 Gallup poll showed that 58% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana.

What does this trend mean for retailers, especially those operating in multiple states? The answer is complex, as the law is evolving.

BitPay, a company that allows merchants to use bitcoin, has reported a spike in transactions this year.

The company has processed more than $100 million in transactions this year, and its membership now includes more than 15,500 merchants in 200 countries. The number of merchants has increased by more than 50%, while transaction volume has tripled since the creation of the All Inclusive Pricing Plan in October and the integration with Shopify in November.

North Bergen, N.J. – Vitamin Shoppe has announced that on Nov. 21, 2013 it filed suit against law firm Seeger Weiss LLP in New York federal court. Vitamin Shoppe argues that Seeger Weiss is infringing on the company's trademarks on a website designed to solicit plaintiffs for a class-action lawsuit over alleged misrepresentations related to its Bodytech protein supplements and is being harmed by unauthorized use of its trademarks.

BitPay, a company that allows merchants to use bitcoin, has reported a spike in transactions this year.

The company has processed more than $100 million in transactions this year, and its membership now includes more than 15,500 merchants in 200 countries. The number of merchants has increased by more than 50%, while transaction volume has tripled since the creation of the All Inclusive Pricing Plan in October and the integration with Shopify in November.

By Keri Dawson, VP, Industry Solutions and Advisory Services, MetricStream, [email protected]

As 2013 comes to an end, the retail/CPG industry is bracing itself for even greater compliance requirements, increased regulatory scrutiny, and more risks resulting from social media, global operations, and multi-tiered supply chains.

The National Retail Federation is calling the short-term budget deal reached by Congress this week a step in the right direction for the economy and for retailers.

In a prepared statement, Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the NRF, said legislators must move past partisan differences to resolve lingering fiscal issues.