New Laws Could Affect Venues

Tuesday, August 5, 2008: The E-Fencing Enforcement Act of 2008 was introduced into the House of Representatives last week. If passed, the new law would require online selling sites like eBay to retain information about high-volume sellers. That information could be requestd by retailers and law enforcement officials in cases where police reports have been filed.
House Resolution 6713 was introduced just weeks after the introduction of a complimentary bill, House Resolution 6491, the Organized Retail Crime Act of 2008, which would require online selling sites to cooperate with retailers and police. The bill further allows retailers to sue for recovery of loss. The National Retail Federation issued a press release praising both bills. It has been reported retailers lose between $15 and $30 billion each year to organized retail crime, which includes criminals disposing of stolen goods through online selling venues.