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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.

U.S. Retail Intelligence – June

May 31 – Ultra Credits Target Partnership Royalties for Q1 Comp Sales Gain In a conference call, Ulta CEO Dave Kimball said royalty income from its partnership with Target contributed to the sales gain. From: HomePage News May 31 – Burlington Rides Early Spring Rebound to Q1 Sales, Earnings Gains Burlington Stores readily beat Wall Street first-quarter earnings estimates…

Shipping and Tariff Developments

On Feb. 26, 2024, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) published the final rule “Demurrage and Detention Billing Requirements.” Most of the rule went into effect on May 28 and the catalyst was the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) of 2022, which IHA lobbied for to authorize regulations making demurrage and detention billing timelier and more transparent. As explained in the…

The CRA and New Regulations

Concerns among Democrats in Washington, D.C. that Republicans could win the White House in November has caused Biden Administration officials to accelerate their regulatory agenda. This is driven by their fears that a Republican White House and Congress will use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal many new regulations if they aren’t finalized by the spring or summer of…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – May

April 30 – Nordstrom Adds Marketplace, Upgrades Digital Experience Marketplace customers will get personalized recommendations and thoughtful curation to make it easier to shop for their favorite brands and discover new ones, Nordstrom indicated. From: HomePage News April 30 – The Save Mart Companies to Roll Out In-Store Retail Media Network The chain will deploy tech…

Lacey Act Reporting Requirements

In 1900, Congressman John Lacey sponsored legislation to curb the importation of exotic bird feathers. Lacey Act amendments up to 2008 expanded coverage to fish and animals and established individual and corporate responsibility. The 2008 Farm Bill added wood and plant products, making it unlawful to “import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – April

March 29 – West Elm’s New iOS Mobile App Customizes Shopping Experience The app is available for free in the App Store. West Elm, a Williams-Sonoma banner. From: HomePage News March 29 – Lands’ End Lays Off 10% of Corporate Workforce The layoffs came as Lands’ End faced growing losses and declining sales in the fourth quarter. From: Retail Dive March 29 – Report:…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – March

February 29 – How Sam’s Club Is Transforming the Customer Experience The retailer is embracing technology applications in its quest to make shopping and working even easier, including robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI). From: Progressive Grocer February 29 – Dollar General Reaches 20,000 Stores with New Texas Location DG Markets are a…

State Recycled Content Laws

Laws requiring certain percentages of post-consumer resin content in plastic packaging are gaining traction in some states. According to the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), by late 2023, seven states were in various stages of implementing such laws, with existing laws in CA, ME, WA and NJ, and a new law in CT and proposed laws in MD and NY. State laws in effect…

Congress Begins Moving a Bipartisan Tax Bill

On January 17, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) announced bipartisan, bicameral tax legislation, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (TRAFA). To summarize, TRAFA would extend three business tax breaks from 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and expand the child tax credit, with…