A New York law going into effect on July 8 is getting a lot of attention because the National Retail Federation (NRF) sued the state over the algorithmic pricing disclosure requirement. But according to law firm Freeman Law, there’s another NY law impacting retailers and online sellers:
“New York also amended Sections 217 and 218-a of the General Business Law Statutes to include online retailers within the fold of businesses that must comply with New York’s refund policy disclosure requirements,” which go into effect on August 7, 2025.
Freeman Law’s post said retailers must display their return policies in multiple places in their establishments as well as “on a sign attached to the item itself.”
Online retailers must display the return policy “by a notice displayed or made accessible by hyperlink near the item itself or by a notice displayed to or made accessible by hyperlink by the consumer prior to requesting billing information.”
In a press release announcing its lawsuit against the state over the algorithmic pricing law, the National Retail Federation said it asked a federal court “to block a New York state law set to go into effect next week that requires retailers to disclose the use of “algorithmic” pricing, saying the measure would unfairly malign a system that helps merchants give customers lower prices and personalized offers.”
According to a blog post from law firm Clark Hill:
“Prominent examples of algorithmic-driven dynamic pricing include everything from surge pricing for ride shares to hotel and flight ticket prices changing based on seasonality and demand to e-commerce brands adjusting pricing based on cart abandonment, customer location, or offering personalized discounts. While not all dynamic pricing requires the processing of personal data, a large percentage does especially in the e-commerce space.”
The NRF has a link to its lawsuit in Wednesday’s press release.