Senate Passes Bill Protecting Online Customers

COLUMBUS— State Senator George Lang (R- West Chester) announced last week that the Ohio Senate unanimously passed House Bill 272, which requires high-volume, third-party online sellers to disclose certain pieces of identifying information in order to protect consumers. "Organized retail crime is a multi-billion dollar industry involving well connected enterprises whose network spans nationwide, and who take advantage of consumers who are unaware that the product purchased is not legitimate," Lang said. "This bill protects online consumers by providing marketplace transparency through simple authentication of third party sellers." The bill defines a high-volume, third-party seller as someone, in any continuous 12-month period in the previous 24 months, who has entered into at least 200 discreet sales for new or unused consumer goods, resulting in at least $5,000 of gross revenue. Sellers that meet that threshold must provide identifying information on product listings, including things such as a name, email address or business tax number. House Bill 272 will now go to Governor DeWine for consideration.