StORES Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 12) CONSIDER THIS / PRESIDENT’S PAGE E-commerce Advocacy BY TRACY MULLIN The Voice of Retail Worldwide STORES is published by NRF Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of National Retail Federation Inc., 325 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. (202) 783-7971 FAX (202) 737-2849 L ooking around the table at nearly two dozen online retail executives, it was easy to predict which way the vote would go. There was energy, excitement and conviction in the air. When Shop.org’s board of directors decided to expand its vision to include policy and advocacy at its July meeting, we did not take it lightly. It’s a huge step, but those of us on the board felt that it was an important move to make. With this decision, Shop.org will help shape the current political debate on issues affecting the online industry and have a say in what happens in the future. I’ll be the first to admit that most online retailers didn’t get into this business to dabble in politics. But as the Internet grows in importance, a move toward advocacy becomes almost inevitable. Though Congress is tackling some e-commerce matters now, it does not compare to myriad issues on the horizon. The time has come for one association to speak clearly for etailers, and I can think of no better group to tackle that challenge than Shop.org. Though NRF has been lobbying on behalf of the online retail industry for many years, this new development will give Shop.org members a unique voice, opportunities to testify on Capitol Hill, submit letters to congressional offices on behalf of the industry and to expand upon the work that NRF has already accomplished in this area. Through the newly-formed Policy Advocacy Group, online retailers will clarify current problems and help us identify future issues. This month, at Shop.org’s Annual Summit in Las Vegas, members of the NRF lobbying team will speak about the current climate on Capitol Hill and listen to online retailers talk about the most important issues they face. While a move toward advocacy was largely a pro-active step, there are a few issues that Shop.org will begin addressing immediately. The first challenge, a “spyware bill” that has morphed into a general online privacy bill, would essentially require consumers to “opt in” in order for retailers to collect any personal information on their websites. This move could ultimately affect our customers’ experiences while shopping online and add another step to a checkout process that consumers love for its simplicity. Shop.org also plans to tackle credit card interchange, which requires merchants to pay a percentage of their sales back to credit card companies. This practice is especially damaging for online retailers that are required to pay “card not present” fees, which can be 50 percent higher than those paid by traditional retailers. In the future, the group will also address patent trolling, click fraud and net neutrality. Historically, online retailers have concentrated on growing their businesses and reaching out to consumers. But with the maturing of the industry comes responsibility for ensuring that e-commerce has a seat at the table when legislation that could affect the business is being considered in Washington. Conversations about online retailing are already taking place on Capitol Hill: Shop.org now will be a part of them. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD M. Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and CEO, Ethan Allen Inc., Danbury, CT VICE CHAIRMEN Paul R. Charron, Chairman Emeritus Liz Claiborne, Inc., New York, NY Myron E. Ullman III, Chairman and CEO, J.C. Penney Co., Plano, TX PRESIDENT & CEO Tracy Mullin SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS Mallory B. Duncan, General Counsel David Hogan, CIO Karen Theibert Knobloch, Member Services Carleen C. Kohut, Finance & CFO Steven J. Pfister, Government Relations NRF Divisions Association for Retail Technology Standards EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Richard E. Mader (202) 626-8140 National Council of Chain Restaurants PRESIDENT John R. (Jack) Whipple (202) 626-8183 FAX: (202) 626-8185 Retail Advertising & Marketing Association EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mike Gatti (202) 626-8117 FAX: (202) 737-2849 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott Silverman (202) 626-8192 FAX: (202) 626-8191 325 7th Street, NW Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20004 All articles published in this magazine represent solely the individual opinions of the writers, and not necessarily those of the National Retail Federation. 12 STORES / SEPTEMBER 2007 WWW.STORES.ORG http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://Shop.org http://WWW.STORES.ORG
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