Legal

From Viral Trend to Legal Risk: Navigating the Dupe Economy
April 6, 2026 at 12:38 pm

In today’s retail market, the hottest item isn’t always the original product. Increasingly, it’s the dupe. Across social media, influencers regularly spotlight lower-cost alternatives to luxury and premium products, and consumers eagerly pursue these “dupes,” turning imitation into a viral shopping strategy. But for retailers, the dupe economy raises an important question: When does an…

Retail Messaging at a Crossroads: Why Modernization Can’t Wait
March 16, 2026 at 1:45 pm

For retailers, the mobile inbox has become an extension of the storefront. Promotional alerts, order updates, loyalty rewards and curbside pickup confirmations increasingly reach customers through text messaging. SMS continues to outperform email in engagement, and consumers routinely open and act on messages delivered directly to their phones. Yet as retailers rely more heavily on…

Walmart Agrees to $100M FTC Settlement Over Driver Pay
March 2, 2026 at 4:00 pm

Walmart has agreed to pay $100 million to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claims that the retailer misled delivery drivers about the pay and tips they could earn. The FTC alleged Walmart caused drivers with its delivery service, Spark, to lose tens of millions of dollars worth of earnings by showing them inflated figures for what…

Democrats, Retailers Push for Refunds Following Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs
February 25, 2026 at 12:43 pm

A group of about 20 Senate Democrats on Monday revealed legislation calling for full refunds following the Supreme Court ruling that President Donald Trump's imposed tariffs were illegal. Separately, FedEx filed a lawsuit on Monday demanding a full refund, according to the BCC. The Supreme Court ruling last week — which said that Trump overstepped…

How the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Impacts Retail
February 25, 2026 at 9:59 am

U.S. retailers now face a heightened antislavery risk at the border. Picture a routine day at a busy port. An inspector opens a box of imported snacks and notices a small logo. The shipment stops immediately. U.S. Customs and Border Protection detains the goods and flags related shipments at other ports. Inside the company, teams…

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump's Tariffs, Retail Industry Impacted
February 23, 2026 at 7:36 am

The U.S. Supreme Court said President Trump's tariffs policies imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPPA) are unconstitutional, dealing a major blow to the president's signature economic policy. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the 6-3 opinion. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. Writing for the court's majority, Chief Justice John…

EU Opens Investigation Into Shein
February 18, 2026 at 9:33 am

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday said it was formally opening an investigation into the fast-fashion retailer Shein over the company's sale of childlike sex dolls and what the EU called the company's "addictive design," according to multiple news sources. The BBC reported that the European Commission — the EU's executive arm — will examine…

Francesca’s Files for Bankruptcy, Again; Closing All Stores
February 10, 2026 at 2:41 pm

After 25 years of operations, Francesca’s is going out of business. The Houston-based young women’s clothing and accessories chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to close its stores and liquidate. The filing, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, comes after reports in January that Francesca’s was preparing…

Saks Global Ends Luxury E-Commerce Storefront Deal With Amazon
February 3, 2026 at 4:57 pm

Bankrupt department store company Saks Global is ending its e-commerce partnership with Amazon.com, reports PYMNTS. The arrangement between the two companies had already been strained when Saks filed for bankruptcy last month, even though the retailer hadn’t specified whether it would exercise its right under Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reject the deal. Now, the luxury…