Retailers and FMCG distributors are affected by the US$-Naira exchange rate, inflation, and general price fluctuations in Nigeria. Working with experienced retail lawyers provides access to retail legal efficiency and cost reduction.
Background
Obi-Dauda is a renowned energy and capital market lawyer. Still, the CEO of ZOW Supermarket and Obi-Dauda are members of the prestigious university alumni. Obi-Dauda consults frequently for ZOW Supermarkets.
Unlike Obi-Dauda, retail legal teams understand retail consumer protection, customer relationship management, consumer loyalty schemes, supply chain management, transactions, promotions, e-commerce, data management systems, employment, workplace hazard, sexual harassment, refund and return procedures, distributorship agreements, retail policy, cybersecurity, stakeholders’ relations, and regulatory compliance.
Retail lawyers are adept at representing retailers in disputes with employees, unions, and regulatory authorities, including claims arising from consumer protections, defective goods, conflicting prices, discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination.
The retail legal team’s efficiency is crucial and central to cost management and retail administration. Retail lawyers assist retailers in compliance with Nigeria’s data protection laws and international privacy standards.
In the face of e-commerce and cross-border sales, cybersecurity and data protection policies and procedures reduce time wasted with criminal investigators arising from suspicious transactions and compromised card payments.
Retail Lawyers
Moreover, retail lawyers offer bespoke retail legal solutions because they understand how retail consumers, competitors, suppliers, and regulators behave.
Now, Seun owns a retail shop in Lagos’ famous Mandalas shopping arena. WhatsApp is Seun’s main e-commerce channel. Unidentified customers send inquiries to Seun on WhatsApp.
So, once the items are available, Seun will close sales once the customer shares the payment receipt and Seun confirms receipt from his mobile banking App.
Seun’s dispatch procedure for goods bought on WhatsApp is to share contact details of registered or unregistered logistics companies with the unidentified customers – who will pay the logistics company and ask Seun to deliver the items to the company’s agent.
Depending on what goods Seun sells, Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws expect Seun to identify the customer through a stringent know-your-customer procedure.
Sometimes, customers use compromised debit (ATM) cards to pay for goods or services online. Nigerian law enforcement agents, like many other professionals, stop at armchair investigations.
What do law enforcement agents do? They approach a Court of Law for a post-no-debit order on retailers’ bank accounts or wallets. Nigerian Police and EFCC appear happier when retailers cannot settle transactions.
An efficient retail team understands the legal enforcement regime and helps retailers reduce costs by building effective administrative policies. Federal or state tax officials generally act the same way.
You know that FCCPC closed the sahad store in Abuja. Our retail lawyers’ report showed that FCCPC acted callously and illegally.
An efficient retail legal team ensures retailers negotiate effectively with suppliers, vendors, and other stakeholders. Retail legal teams help retailers develop settlements and alternative dispute resolution strategies to resolve disputes efficiently and cost-effectively.
How Do you Choose a Retail Legal Team?
Consider experience and ability to understand how financial technology, cybersecurity, software and web development, data protection, employment, supply chain management, vendors’ management, and government relations interlope with retail.
A retail team must combine availability with prioritizing client communication, collaboration, and satisfaction, which ensures legal opinions, recommendations, and advice align with retail business goals.
Our retail lawyers are passionately involved. Our members work closely with the Africa Retail Academy of the prestigious Lagos Business School.
SRJ offers bespoke services to a growing retail clientele. We complement our retail practice with education, fintech, and dispute.
