News Article
Mark Poovey Talks Antitrust & Furniture Industry in National Magazine Interview
January 27, 2011
Womble Carlyle attorney Mark Poovey is interviewed in the current issue of Home Furnishings Business magazine, a leading magazine covering the home furnishings industry.
Poovey discussed the threat that Internet furniture retailers pose for brick-and-mortar furniture stores. He said the practice of online retailers undercutting furniture stores is nothing new—out-of-town sellers did this over the telephone in the 1980s and ‘90s. But the practice does raise serious questions for retailers.
“Retailers are going to have to decide, are they going to be big national Internet sellers or focus more on their local markets? They have to decide with the manufacturers how they’ll handle that,” Poovey told the magazine.
Poovey also discussed the practice of minimum retail price (MRP) policies in the home furnishings industry, and recent legal developments in that arena. Such practices are common and can be effective, but Poovey says manufacturers still need to tread carefully when setting MRP policies.
For more information, check out Womble Carlyle’s Antitrust and Distribution Law Blog.
Mark Poovey is a commercial litigator with a particular focus in antitrust, franchise law and trade regulation. Over his 30-year career, he has helped companies in a variety of industries establish and defend advanced distribution, regulatory compliance, marketing and pricing strategies. Poovey leads Womble Carlyle’s Antitrust, Regulatory and Government Affairs Practice Group.
This document is intended as an informational reminder and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions or would like to discuss a particular situation, please contact Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP. The purpose of this article is to provide general information about significant legal developments and should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts and circumstances.