ayout 1 - Retail Council of New York State
Transcription
ayout 1 - Retail Council of New York State
Retailer NEW YORK STATE The Retailer is a publication of the Retail Council of New York State James R. Sherin, President and Chief Executive Officer V O L U M E 3 8 • N U M B E R 1 • JAN/FEB 2 0 1 2 Unpredictable state legislative session looms By Ted Potrikus, Executive Vice President and Director of Government Relations We shoot for a ‘crystal ball’ story at the start of every year in the legislative report section of the Retailer, and usually, they’re pretty easy to write. The ingredients often are the same: a heaping teaspoon of budget deficit, a pinch of political mayhem, and a few cups of legislative squabbling, all stirred together and baked into a soufflé of danger for retailers large and small. 2 Safety Group 493 participants: Return your payroll audit forms 3 Webinars in the works for 2012 Inside 3 Milestone membership anniversaries recognized 4 Shipping expenses even more important in today’s business world 5 Retailers merry about holiday sales 5 Meet Lori Kelly 7 Retail Council goes social: Find us on Facebook This year it’s not much different, but it seems to be a lot harder – probably because those ingredients have been tempered, refined, moved into different cupboards, and otherwise altered to render entirely unpredictable the dish that ultimately comes out of the oven. There’s a budget deficit, yes – and it’s a dogfight political year with elections for the state Legislature (not to mention the top-of-the-ticket presidential campaign); battles between and among legislative conferences are as inevitable as bad weather in March. But we’re entering the 2012 Legislative Session with a sense that, challenges notwithstanding, things have the chance of getting done. Credit Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos for creating the foundation for a seemingly renewed resolve to address issues that heretofore had been tabled. Whether or not one agrees with the final products, the 2011 session – and its surprise return-to-Albany early in December – took on issues that Continued on page 6 New posting requirement delayed In the December 2011 Retail Link (dated Dec. 15) the Council told members about the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) posting requirement that was to take effect Jan. 31, 2012. The effective date of the posting requirement has been pushed back to April 30, 2012. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) – a federal law – guarantees the rights of employees to organize and bargain collectively with employers, and to engage in other protected concerted activity or to refrain from engaging in this activity. The poster highlights employees’ Continued on page 6 Safety Group 493 participants: Return your payroll audit forms Many members of Safety Group 493 will receive a document in January from the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) regarding their 2011 payroll audit. This document is entitled “payroll report” or “payroll statement” and both are used to determine actual employee payroll for last year. It is also possible that policyholders have been or will be contacted by NYSIF’s Payroll Audit Department to be scheduled for a physical audit. If you have been asked to complete a payroll report or statement, it is very important that this document be completed and returned to NYSIF as soon as possible. Please be sure to check your report or statement for the date it is due back to NYSIF. Typically, you have 30 days to complete the paperwork. If you haven’t received either form, or are unsure if you are scheduled for a physical audit, please call the Council for assistance at (800) 442-3589. Estimated payroll reports will be issued in early March by NYSIF to policyholders whose forms have not yet been received and/or processed. A second form is generally included with the estimated report, giving the policyholder another opportunity to submit the actual payrolls for the prior year(s). The estimated report will generate additional premium billing, which can only be corrected by receipt of your payroll report or statement. the payroll audit will be divided according to the number of renewal installments remaining for the current policy period. This gives you, the policyholder, the option to pay the premium in installments or pay the entire balance in full. In addition to ensuring accuracy on your workers’ compensation insurance for the year, you must return your payroll report/statement to be eligible for any declared dividend from the Retail Council in 2012. The Council sent checks to more than 1,200 eligible members of Safety Group 493 in November 2011 as part of a more than $3.2 million dividend. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to receive this benefit of participation in our Safety Group because you haven’t returned the audit form! Workers’ compensation renewal policies are based on audited payrolls. By submitting the payroll report or statement in a timely fashion, you assist NYSIF in more accurately estimating your policy payroll on the next renewal. Upon receipt of your payroll report/statement, NYSIF will correct the 2011 estimated payroll to actual and forward notice of either a credit or an additional premium on the next invoice. Although you should mail the original, signed payroll report/statement to NYSIF directly, you can also fax a copy of the report to the Retail Council. We can expedite the audit process for you and retain the copy for our records in case you misplace yours. Should you have any questions about the audit, please call the Retail Council’s Insurance Services Department at (800) 442-3589 and ask for Virginia or Ken. If there is a substantial increase in premium, the earlier the payroll report/statement is submitted, the better. The additional premium generated by www.retailcouncilnys.com 2 800.442.3589 New York State Retailer A publication of the Retail Council of New York State 258 State Street Albany, NY 12210 (518) 465-3586 phone (518) 465-7960 fax www.retailcouncilnys.com OFFICERS Michael Shaffer Chairman of the Board James R. Sherin President and Chief Executive Officer Sharon Fenno Ted Potrikus Vice Chairs Clint Hegeman Treasurer Thomas Zapf Secretary Ted Potrikus Executive Vice President Director of Government Relations Robert Leonard Vice President of Finance and Operations Rebecca Marion Flach Vice President of Membership and Communication The New York State Retailer (USPS 064370) is published bimonthly, for a total of 6 issues per year. Subscriptions are $12 per year for members. Periodicals postage paid at Albany, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The New York State Retailer, 258 State Street, Albany, NY 12210. The Retail Council of New York State is a full-service membership trade association that represents nearly 5,000 stores, of all size and sort, and affiliated businesses throughout the Empire State. The “Voice of Retailing” in New York State, the Council offers money-saving group benefit programs and government relations expertise to our members. For more information, visit www.retailcouncilnys.com. Webinars in the works for 2012 The Retail Council is putting the finishing touches on a webinar series designed for members for 2012. Topics will include customer service, social media, succession planning and data security/credit card fraud. www.retailcouncilnys.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/RetailCouncilNYS. The Council hosted a webinar series in 2011 in conjunction with several other state retail associations around the country. Topics included internal theft controls, social media, finance (with a focus on factors like volume, margins, pricing decisions and staff training that influence the bottom line), marketing and inventory management. Stay tuned for program and registration details in upcoming newsletters, at Recordings for the 2011 events are still available. Members were generally complimentary of these webinars in evaluations and the majority said they learned new concepts they didn’t know before. To learn more about the 2011 events visit www.retailcouncilnys.com/webinars. Contact Rebecca Flach at rflach@retailcouncilnys.com or call (800) 442-3589 if you’re interested in receiving free copies of some or all of the 2011 events. Milestone membership anniversaries recognized The following businesses recently celebrated significant membership anniversaries. All have been members of the Retail Council for 10 years or longer. We are humbled to have had their support all this time. Member Name Harold Finkle Your Jeweler, Inc. Blossom Heath Florist I. Buss Uniform Co., Inc. Center Island Pharmacies, Inc. Howard Jewelers Jamestown Cycle Shop, Inc. Kenco Work & Safety Store, Inc. Shirts ‘N’ Stuff Ariel & Shya Kane, Inc. Direct Selling Association Easy Pickins, Inc. Fallon Wellness Pharmacy, LLC Michael C. Fina Co., Inc. Ruthies Run A.V. Costa, Inc. Berger’s Ski & Snowboard Bi-Wise Pharmacy Years of membership Albany 50 Oceanside 30 New York 30 Hampton Bays 25 Queens Village 25 Jamestown 25 Kingston 25 Lake George 25 New York 20 Washington, D.C. 20 New York 20 Latham 20 New York 20 Lake Placid 20 Troy 15 Binghamton 15 Brooklyn 15 www.retailcouncilnys.com Member Name Years of membership Connecting Point Computer Center New Hartford 15 Creative Closets Yonkers 15 Klearview Appliance Brooklyn 15 Lakeview Gardens Jamestown 15 Lyell Crest Hardware, Inc. Rochester 15 Maggie’s Gift Shop Latham 15 Marcy Discount Beverage Center Marcy 15 Miller’s Drug Store Margaretville 15 Nugent Hardware, Inc. Waterloo 15 Party Shops Scarsdale 15 Pintchik Ace Hardware Brooklyn 15 Sacred Melody, Inc. Syracuse 15 Somers Pharmacy Somers 15 The Fitting Place West Seneca 15 Woyshners Flower Shop, Inc. Lackawanna 15 Altria Client Services Inc. Washington, D.C. 10 First Cardinal Corporation Latham 10 3 800.442.3589 Shipping expenses even more important in today’s business world Shipping costs are an oftenoverlooked contributor to rising business expenses. With annual carrier rate increases, skyrocketing fuel costs, and accessorial charges that may increase 30 percent or more year over year, finding a way to reduce your shipping expenses can make a serious impact on your overall balance sheet. Here are five key strategies to help get your shipping costs in line. Implement any or all of them and watch your shipping costs go down— increasing your profits. Key Strategy #1 The easiest way to lower your shipping charges is to obtain shipping discounts. Shipping discounts can be obtained by working directly with your car- riers if your company has favorable shipping characteristics; working with a reputable third party logistics provider (3PL); or working through an endorsed shipping program, such as the Retail Council Discount Shipping Program. Key Strategy #3 Examine the mode and service level that comprise your transportation expenditures. Is your spending concentrated in LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) rather than small package, or air instead of ground? These distinctions are called modes of transportation, and which you utilize can cost you serious money. For instance, it can cost twice as much to ship air versus ground. Service level refers to the timeframe in which the carrier will ship the package from origin to destination, such as same day service, next day, two day, three day, etc. Why pay for next day service if you don’t need next day service? Using the appropriate mode and serv- Key Strategy #2 Are your vendors passing along their shipping discounts to you? Reducing inbound shipping costs is one of the easiest, yet most overlooked ways to reduce overall transportation expenses. File routing instructions with your vendors, which allow you to be billed directly by your preferred carriers at your discounted rate, reducing your inbound shipping costs. www.retailcouncilnys.com 4 800.442.3589 ice level to meet your shipping needs is critical in keeping your transportation costs down. Key Strategy #4 It is estimated between 5 percent and 10 percent of freight invoices contain some sort of error. Auditing your freight invoices on a regular basis can help you catch and receive credit for costly mistakes, such as an improper discount, incorrect service level or mode, and many, many others. And always be sure to verify product classification for all LTL shipments. Key Strategy #5 Why send three separate shipments if you can consolidate and send just one? Consolidating shipments will help save you time and money, and you can save up to 25 percent or more by simply combining multiple shipments into one. PartnerShip, LLC is an independent 3PL that is an industry leader in managing shipping programs for trade associations. PartnerShip manages the Retail Council Discount Shipping Program, featuring shipping discounts with FedEx.® For more information on the Retail Council Discount Shipping Program please visit www.PartnerShip.com/56RCNYS, email sales@partnership.com or call 800-599-2902. Retailers merry about holiday sales Members give 2011 holiday season an AVisions of a successful holiday season danced in many a retailer’s head as consumers rushed to stores the critical week before Christmas to finish lengthy lists. Members of the Retail Council of New York State awarded the season an “A-” letter grade in response to the strong finale. Eighty percent of retailers polled by the Retail Council of New York State said their weekbefore-Christmas sales were better than or the same as their sales during the same week in 2010. Armed with gift cards, shoppers hit stores again on Monday, Dec. 26 buoying afterChristmas sales. Sixty-five percent of participating merchants said their after-Christmas sales week before Christmas,” said Retail Council President and Chief Executive Officer James R. Sherin. “Couple this news with the start of Hanukkah on Dec. 20, extra shopping time with Christmas Eve falling on a Saturday and cold, but clear weather and you have the makings for great sales in the crucial days leading up to Christmas.” to date have been better than or the same as their sales for the same time period in 2010. Retailers throughout the state reported the results through the Retail Council’s annual “Holiday Sales Watch,” a periodic snapshot of sales activity in stores small and large. This third Holiday Sales Watch was conducted Dec. 28 and 29 and gauged retailers’ perceptions of sales activity the week before and just after Christmas. This report concluded the Council’s assessment of the holiday season. Retail sales flourished all season long, reflecting improved consumer confidence. Eightyfive percent of merchants surveyed by the Retail Council reported solid sales activity following a record-breaking Black Friday weekend. The momentum continued through midDecember, exciting many retail- “The average shopper had completed less than 50 percent of his gift buying by midDecember so we had a hunch retailers would have a robust ers who anticipated a lull in sales before gift buying ramped up again the week before Christmas. Seventy-eight percent of surveyed merchants reported sales were the same as or better than 2010 sales through mid-December. “Another long New Year’s weekend should further boost sales,” said Sherin. “In this postrecession economy it’s hard to predict with any certainty how willing consumers are to spend. Shoppers surprised us once again with their buying power.” Thank you to the Holiday Sales Watch participants who graciously volunteered to help us with the surveys! We truly appreciate your input. Meet Lori Kelly Council welcomes new staff member Lori Kelly has joined the Retail Council as executive assistant and office manager. position of director and supervisor with the Capital District YMCA – Schenectady/Guilderland. She has also served as senior claims examiner for RMSCO, Inc. in Albany, N.Y. administrative assistant to President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Sherin, and other Council managers as needed. She also serves as the staff liaison to the Council’s board of directors, executive committee and other internal committees and oversees the general management of the Council’s facility and service providers. “Lori’s more than 10 years of experience in customer service and administration fits perfectly with the Council’s mission to provide our members with the highest level of service every Previously, Ms. Kelly held the Ms. Kelly is the primary www.retailcouncilnys.com 5 800.442.3589 day,” said Council President and CEO Jim Sherin. “Her exceptional organizational skills will allow other Council staff members to focus on enhancing the already impressive programs and services we offer our members.” Ms. Kelly lives in Rotterdam, N.Y. with her husband Gary, her two sons, Evan and Cameron, and their two dogs. Unpredictable state legislative session looms Continued from page 1 admit our crystal ball could use a good dose of Windex and our deck of Tarot cards seems to be running a few short. Issue-wise, the Retail Council is prepared for anything. We know that budget talks will pose the annual problems associated with addressing a multibillion-dollar budget deficit – and that ALWAYS puts onto the table issues like the escheat of gift cards (particularly with New Jersey’s state court system still weighing the retail industry’s challenge to recent New Jersey law requiring retailers to turn over to the state unused gift card receipts) and the future of the state’s exemption of its four percent sales tax on clothing and footwear. The Retail Council’s government relations team is ready to take on any challenges on behalf of our members in the 2012 Legislative Session. L to R: Jim Sherin, Melissa Googas and Ted Potrikus. prior legislatures had avoided and plotted a course for a 2012 that, despite the formidable political blockades that could rise, could prove to be an efficient disposition of various issues large and small. Of course, having said that, watch the session devolve into a finger-pointing tumult of political standoffs and protracted problems! That’s how unpredictable it all is as we head into 2012 – we A note on that particular program: Now is a good time to remind Retail Council members that – unless something changes between now and then – April 1, 2012 brings yet another change to the clothing and footwear sales tax exemption program. Under current law, beginning April 1, 2012, clothing and footwear costing up to $110 per item will be exempt from the state’s four percent (4%) sales tax. We’ll update readers in both the Retailer and in our online Retail Link publication as the date gets closer – but again, barring changes in the law, the per-item threshold moves up to $110 per item from its current $55 per item beginning April 1. Continued on top of next page New posting requirement delayed Continued from page 1 rights under this act. Retail businesses with annual gross sales of $500,000 or more will be required to post this notice. Several national organizations and a coalition of members from the U.S. House of Representatives are challenging the legality of the law on the the posting requirement asked the agency to delay the implementation date. This is the second time the date has been changed. grounds the National Labor Relations Board – the enforcing agency – does not have the authority to impose posting requirements on private sector employers. Opposition grew to such a fever over the measure just before Christmas the federal judge considering the legality of www.retailcouncilnys.com The Council is monitoring the action on this law and will advise members if it looks like the enactment date will stand or be 6 800.442.3589 delayed again. And, of course, we’ll inform members if the law is overturned or materially changed in some way. In the meantime, you can learn more about the NLRA and take a look at the poster at https://www.nlrb.gov/poster. While we’re on the subject of sales tax, let’s shift the focus to Washington, D.C., where retailers continue to press Congress hard to adopt legislation that would permit states to require out-of-state merchants (e.g., online giants) to collect and remit sales tax on purchases sent into those states. The Retail Council has been working with our national colleagues at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the National Retail Federation (NRF) to encourage New York’s congressional delegation to get on board with the effort, and we spent the autumn meeting with state government officials to urge that they, too, work with Congress to level the playing field for New York’s Main Street merchants. Key legislative staff sat up and took notice when the Retail Council reported studies showing that New York could be forfeiting as much as $800 million annually in sales tax to uncollected online transactions – an important number in these days of budget deficits. Look for the Retail Council to continue its advocacy throughout the year on this issue. Another big-ticket item on tap affects the entirety of New York’s beleaguered employer community – and no retailer is immune from the sting. Prolonged periods of low employment have left the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund (UITF) tapped well beyond its means, and New York is among the dozens of states that have borrowed from the federal government to pay UI benefits to out-of-work New Yorkers. Absent federal action – which would probably be only another delay – New York faces a massive debt to the federal UI fund. And it’s up to the employers to repay it – through various UI tax surcharges and increases that could span the next several years. Retail Council goes social Find us on Facebook The Retail Council’s Facebook page is now up and running at Facebook.com/ RetailCouncilNYS. Visit our page often for news and updates and also “like” our page while you’re there (you’ll have to have a Facebook account to do so). As a way to support our members we’ve The Retail Council met several times late in 2011 with financial experts who think a bond issue from New York State would repay the federal debt and, in a sense, restructure the loan and give the employer community a more structured and predictable repayment plan. On tap for early 2012 are meetings with our colleagues at The Business Council of New York State and others to consider strategies that would best help our respective member companies small and large. are impossible to predict – as merchants are all too aware, new bills crop up with every story on the nightly news that smacks of any consumer aggrieved by a perceived slight or disappointment from a retailer. As we have said many times, the retail industry is always one news story or celebrity explosion away from a spate of new (usually bad) bills. Our usual list of retail-specific issues remains in place, too – with lawmakers growing more conversant in and accepting of the Retail Council’s longstanding pitch for new laws addressing organized retail theft. Look for the Council to face an agenda spanning tax issues, a panoply of consumer protection bills, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance matters, environmental protection, and business operationsrelated bills that we’ve seen before (along with the many surprises that will pop up along the way). Top all of it off with the aforementioned political mayhem. The 2012 presidential campaign should, more than likely, suck all the air out of the media balloon – but it’s the state legislative races on which the Retail Council will necessarily focus. The full legislature is up for its biennial election, and while the Assembly Majority Democrats will have no problem retaining their overwhelming majority, it’s going to be yet another pitched political battle for Senate Republicans striving to keep their majority over the Those parenthetical surprises www.retailcouncilnys.com 7 800.442.3589 been “liking” member stores when we find them; if we haven’t “liked” your Facebook page yet, please contact Michelle Bruck at mbruck@retailcouncilnys.com or call (800) 442-3589 and let her know about your page. Democrats. Mix in the fact that the 2012 Session could find its fiercest battle in the redrawing of legislative district lines, and you have the makings for one or two headline-grabbing “situations” on the horizon for New York. So it’ll be an exciting year. We urge our members to stay up-to-date throughout the 2012 session and to participate in our legislative advocacy – remember, there is no charge to add your e-mail to our regular legislative updates, and our onlineonly Retail Link provides updated coverage in between issues of the published Retailer. (Editor’s Note: If you’re interested in receiving the Council’s legislative updates, which are sent as needed throughout session, contact Assistant Director of Government Relations Melissa Googas at mgoogas@retailcouncilnys.com or (800) 442-3589). Periodicals Postage Paid at Albany, NY Retail Council of New York State 258 State Street Albany, New York 12210 Unlimited Cash Back on Energy Unlimited Possibilities Energy Plus offers Cash Back benefits on energy supply to Retail Council members. When you enroll with Energy Plus, each electric meter you enroll at your business will receive a $50 Activation Bonus and will earn 3%-8% Cash Back every 6 months!* Each natural gas account receives a $25 Activation Bonus and 2% Cash Back every 6 months. You can enroll your electricity and/or natural gas supply with Energy Plus without risk, fees, or long-term commitments. port er Sup d pow i w n g the % 100 selectin tion p up by ign en O e u r o y G hen s w For more information or to enroll, visit EnergyPlusRewards.com/RetailCouncil112 or call 855-388-5274 and mention Offer Code “RET-0112”. *Bonus offer only available to new Energy Plus customers. If enrolling an electric account, A $50 Activation Bonus for business accounts or a $25 Activation Bonus for residential accounts will be awarded after completing two months of active electric service with Energy Plus. If enrolling a natural gas account, a $25 Activation Bonus will be awarded after completing two months of active gas service with Energy Plus. Active accounts are defined as those (i) that are billing more than $0 and (ii) for which Energy Plus has not received a request on behalf of the customer to discontinue (drop) their service. Please note, if you enroll both electric and gas accounts, it is possible your services will start on different dates - so your bonuses may be awarded on different dates. Members will receive a Cash Back rebate check after every six months of service for active accounts. The Cash Back rebate will be 3-8% of the supply charges per T H E R E T A I L E R • business account and 2% per residential account. Business electricity accounts with an annual kWh supply of 99,999 or less will receive 3% cash back, business electricity accounts with an annual kWh supply of 100,000-199,999 will receive 5% cash back, and business electricity accounts with an annual kWh supply of 200,000 or more will receive 8% cash back. Business gas accounts with an annual therm or Ccf supply of 2,499 or less will receive 3% cash back, business gas accounts with an annual therm or Ccf supply of 2,500-7,499 will receive 5% cash back, and business gas accounts with an annual therm or Ccf supply of 7,500 or more will receive 8% cash back. Account eligibility for a natural gas Activation Bonus requires a minimum of 500 annual therms or ccfs, based on historic usage as estimated by your utility at the time of enrollment. **Electricity service is provided through Energy Plus Holdings LLC and natural gas V O L U M E 3 8 • service is through its affiliate Energy Plus Natural Gas LLC. The Energy Plus rate is variable and therefore subject to change each billing cycle. Current and historical rates should not be taken as a guarantee of future rates and Energy Plus makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding specific savings. Electricity offer valid for NY residents excluding areas serviced by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). Natural gas offer valid for NY residents with heating accounts in areas serviced by Consolidated Edison, National Grid (Keyspan NY), National Grid (Niagara Mohawk), Orange & Rockland and National Fuel Gas. Energy Plus reserves the right to discontinue or modify the program and other offers cannot be combined with this offer. Your local utility company will continue to deliver your electricity and/or natural gas, as applicable. Offer not valid for government entities. N U M B E R 1 • JAN/FEB 2 0 1 2