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Fall Sales Forecasts Strong
Michigan retailers’ sales forecasts remain strong for fall despite a drop in August sales. Page 3
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Meet Emily Matthews
Emily Matthews, Lansing community foundation leader and a force behind a growing restaurant group, is the newest member of the MRS board. Page 4
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Return Policies
A recent court case dispute upholds Michigan law that retailers can establish their own return policies. Page 9
® October 2015 Vol. 40 No. 5
From U.P. to Detroit, retailers add support to Buy Nearby efforts In the run-up to Get Caught BlueHanded Day on October 3, retailers and community leaders in Traverse City and Marquette joined the chorus of Buy Nearby advocates. Detroit retailers were scheduled to add their voices at a news conference on September 30 (after this issue went to press). It marked the last of five regional news conferences held by MRA throughout the spring and summer to spread the word about Buy Nearby. The first two were held in Saugatuck and Lansing’s Oldtown district. “Buy Nearby is a great project for the whole state of Michigan,” Traverse City Mayor Michael Estes said at the August 6 event in his town. “I feel that in Traverse City and Grand Traverse County we’ve been practicing this for many years. You can come and visit our downtown and see the great success we’ve had because our residents understand that buying locally is extremely important.” Karen Hilt, owner of My Secret Stash, said it’s easy for shoppers to embrace Buy Nearby. “Some people think you suddenly have to stop buying what you normally buy. We’re just asking you to visit one or two more local businesses a week. “It’s real easy to begin buying nearby, just one shop at a time. It definitely helps the economy, and it helps all the local families and small businesses as well.” Flanked by the large Buy Nearby Guy mascot, MRA President and CEO Continued on page 5
The official publication of the Michigan Retailers Association
www.retailers.com
October 1 start for Main St. Fairness Michigan’s retail playing field became more level on October 1 with the start of the new Main Street Fairness laws. Governor Rick Snyder signed the two-bill package into law on January
15. The laws contained an effective date of October 1 to give out-of-state retailers and state government time to prepare for the changes. “Fairness has been a long time coming, but well worth the wait,” said
James P. Hallan, MRA president and CEO. “The new laws remove the 6 percent price advantage that many non-Michigan merchants have exploited to full advantage and the detriment of Michigan’s economy.” Starting October 1, merchants outside Michigan that meet the new and expanded definition of physical presence in the state must collect and remit the 6 percent sales tax on goods sold to Michigan residents. “Also important is the fact these changes take effect in time for this year’s holiday shopping season,” said Hallan. “For the first time, our retailers will not be competing with their hands tied during this busy season.” Continued on page 9
Unemployment taxes lowered Filmmaker Orin Mazzoni III (right) with gem cutter Roger Dery of Royal Oak in East Africa during filming of “Sharing the Rough.”
Jeweler-turned-filmmaker shows gem’s epic journey by Doug Henze
With its captivating color or hypnotizing sparkle, a gemstone may take only a moment to catch a consumer’s eye and start the imagination running. Yet despite its brilliance, the precious stone never reveals the story of the lives touched during its journey from inside the earth to the interior of a jeweler’s display case. Not until now. “Sharing the Rough,” a new docu-
mentary by independent Michigan filmmaker Orin Mazzoni, III, is breaking the silence. The film was scheduled to make its official premiere in Michigan on September 16, 17 and 21. “Nobody really thinks about that when they walk up to the jewelry case: How did this get created?” said the 41-year-old Livonia native who has a strong jewelry industry pedigree. “The plan was to follow a gem to show how it went from mine to market. There’s really never been any film that shows what we show.” East Africa To tell the tale, Mazzoni and a Continued on page 6
Most Michigan businesses can expect to pay less in state unemployment taxes, starting with the third quarter (October 1) of this year. Michigan’s unemployment taxes were lowered due to a drop in the maximum annual wage on which an employer must pay unemployment taxes, from $9,500 to the new level of $9,000, the state’s Unemployment Insurance Agency announced. Michigan lawmakers raised the level in 2011 to ensure adequate funding for the state Unemployment Trust Fund. The same legislation mandated that when the Trust Fund balance reached $2.5 billion and was expected to remain there for two consecutive quarters, the maximum annual taxable wage base would decrease automatically to $9,000. That condition was met on July 27, the agency said. The reduction applies only to contributing employers who are not delinquent in their payment of unemployment contributions, penalties or interest. Reimbursing employers also are excluded. Additional information is available from the agency, at 855-4-UIAOEO.