Verifying a supplier scandal story before you cut ties
A supplier allegation forces a decision fast. Verifying the claim properly beats both silence and a panic announcement.
Tyler Brooks
EU green claims ban lands September 27: retailers face 4% turnover fines
Directive (EU) 2024/825 makes generic environmental claims a blacklisted practice across the EU from 27 September 2026, with no transition period for stock already on shelves. Most member states missed transposition and face infringement proceedings, but the application date is unchanged.
Corporate and bulk gift card sales: margins, discounts and B2B channels
Corporate gift card sales are an underused B2B channel. This covers discount ladders, distributors and the risks worth pricing in.
Trade court weighs IEEPA refund class: 330,000 importers wait
The US Court of International Trade has yet to rule on a motion to certify a nationwide class of importers locked out of CBP’s IEEPA tariff refund portal, argued on August 6. The outcome decides whether importers with finally liquidated entries recover administratively or must sue one by one.
Trade court upholds de minimis repeal: $800 parcel loophole stays shut
The US Court of International Trade ruled on August 13 that IEEPA lets the President rescind the de minimis exemption, upholding the end of duty-free entry for parcels under $800. The government lost one count, and a separate refund claim remains open.
In-store pay later: how BNPL works at the physical checkout
In-store BNPL runs on different plumbing than online. Here are the flows, the staff training gaps and the queue cost.
A big box is opening nearby: what independent stores should do first
A national chain opening down the road is survivable if you act before it opens. Here is the 90 day plan independents use.
Contribution margin by channel: the report every operator needs
Blended margin hides losing channels. This is how to build a contribution margin report per channel that survives scrutiny.
Brand architecture in retail: house of brands or branded house
How retail groups decide whether a new line becomes a sub-brand or a standalone label, and what each choice costs to support.
Friendly fraud: telling customer regret apart from card theft
Friendly fraud comes from real customers, so fraud tools rarely catch it. These are the signals and the fixes that actually reduce it.