Going "Direct to Consumer" Without Going Direct(ly) to Court—Best Practices for Using E-Commerce While Reducing Legal and Regulatory Risks

Interest in e-commerce is growing rapidly as consumer product companies adjust to the post-COVID world. Yet, consumer product companies can often be unaware of the federal and state laws governing how products are sold via first- and third-party e-commerce websites. This disconnect between interest and awareness suggests that while federal and state laws and regulations may not move as fast as the internet itself, the regulatory and litigation risks for companies are likely to rise at the same rate as the increase in e-commerce stemming from the new normal.

During this webinar, our speakers—including Trent Norris and Raqiyyah Pippins, co-authors of the e-commerce chapter in the Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel treatise—provided guidance on how consumer product companies can more effectively stay in compliance with statutes and regulations governing advertising, product safety and sales on the internet.

Topics

• Product descriptions (including FDA, FTC and CPSC requirements)
• Managing consumer feedback and reviews
  
  
  • Unlawful uses of reviews
  • Potential safety issues and CPSA Section 15 reporting
• Auto-renewals of products and services (including subscriptions)
• Loyalty programs
• Privacy
• California Prop 65 warnings
• Keeping products within intended states