The federal INFORM Act – Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces or marketplace transparency act, HR 5502 – is a part of the recently released omnibus end-of-the-year legislative package pending before Congress.
The INFORM Acts inclusion in the omnibus package is a massive win for retailers’ fight against organized retail crime. WR and its national partners, National Retail Federation and Retail Industry Leaders Association, have worked diligently to get this policy to become the law of the land. WR strongly encourages Congress to vote favorably on the package and send the measure to the President’s desk for his signature. The legislation will become law 180 days later. Finally, online marketplaces will be required to verify third-party seller information so that consumers can make informed choices about the products they purchase.
Public safety, retail theft, and organized retail crime have plagued our country for far too long. The INFORM Act is part of a multi-pronged effort to turn the tide and bring accountability back to our society. INFORM will disincentivize the selling of stolen and counterfeit products in the shadows of the internet by providing useful information on high-volume, third-party platforms.
A national, uniform 50-state solution is the preferred avenue to address this problem. However, if Congress fails to act, WR and its members are prepared to introduce a state INFORM Act, which has already been passed in multiple states.
The measure is 4,500 pages long. House Members have until tomorrow, December 23, to vote on the measure and conclude their work before the scheduled adjournment for the holiday season.
