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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

ADA Website Lawsuit Developments

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990 and its primary focus is Title III, which concerns accessibility for those with disabilities in public accommodations and commercial “brick and mortar” facilities. But the ensuing arrival of the internet and its new platform for selling products was seized upon by trial lawyers as a “target rich environment” for ADA…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – November

October 30 – Tractor Supply Q3 Earnings Beat Street As Sales Lag Despite lower revenue than expected, Tractor Supply beat a Wall Street earnings estimate in the third quarter. From: HomePage News October 30 – Kroger-Albertsons Proposed Mega-Merger Is a Threat to Workers and Shoppers Alike Union rep weighs in on implications of pending high-profile deal. From:…

New Workforce Regulations for Employers

Three workforce regulations from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) could have a big impact on IHA members and employers across the country. All of them are controversial and could be challenged in court by business organizations. On Oct. 27, the NLRB published a final rule addressing the Standard for…

Cargo Shifting Back to West Coast Ports

Over the last few years, shippers have been slowly but steadily shifting imports away from West Coast ports to East Coast ports. There are now indicators showing that the pendulum is shifting and shippers are beginning to return to West Coast ports. There were plenty of reasons for shippers to make the shift away from West Coast ports. For starters, the lack of a contract…

Renew the GSP Program and Refund Duties

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program was created to encourage economic development for emerging economies in qualifying countries by reducing tariff burdens on U.S. companies to encourage investment and partnerships in those places. The program has been regularly renewed but lapsed in 2021 and Congress has not been able to reach an agreement on renewal for a…

Carriers Suspending Asia-to-U.S. Services

There are clear indications that the carriers are worried about the strength of the Asia-to-U.S. market. Rates are on a downward trajectory and services are being suspended. These are telltale signs that the demand is not close to rebounding. The carriers have canceled hundreds of sailings since the beginning of July in the Asia-to-U.S. market. However, they have shown…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – October

September 29 – Spooky Season Kicks Off with New Trends Grocers aiming to scare up sales during the Halloween selling season are tapping into trends to meet shopper interests and needs. From: Progressive Grocer September 29 – Kohl’s Hires Former Tuesday Morning Chief Hand To Lead Store Operations Kohl’s announced the appointment of former Tuesday Morning CEO Fred Hand to…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – September

August 31 – Crate & Barrel Investing To Enhance Omnichannel Operations To advance its omnichannel capabilities, Crate & Barrel Holdings has launched “Bring it Home,” a multi-year investment plan centered on the customer experience and designed to pave the way for continued growth across the organization. From: HomePage News August 31 – J.C. Penney Announces $1B…

Peak Season 2023

The Asia to U.S. market finally showed an increase in container shipments during the months of July and August. As a result, finding sufficient space on containerships became a challenge and spot rates increased significantly. Carrier executives were anxiously watching the last two months hoping the increase in volume was the beginning of a rebound that industry experts had…