Legal

American Apparel said it may seek bankruptcy protection after slumping sales and productivity ate into its cash. “We are currently experiencing significant liquidity constraints,” the company said.

Maybe Blockbuster stores have a future after all. Based on a list of potential bidders for the company, its stores could soon morph into foreign-owned food or phone stores.

The National Retail Federation welcomed a commitment by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The agency will complete final swipe fee reform regulations in time for retailers to begin offering customers discounts and other benefits this summer as scheduled.

The Retail Merchants Association of New Hampshire says if the state had a sales tax, it would mean losses in revenue, sales and jobs.

Think big — really big — and you may understand the stakes in an upcoming Supreme Court case that could have a profound impact on nearly every American business with employees.

Michigan's unique law requiring individual price tags on most retail items is about to disappear once Gov. Rick Snyder signs the bill repealing it. The Republican governor is scheduled to sign the bill at 2 p.m. today. He first mentioned his desire to get rid of item pricing in his January State of the State address.

Harry & David, the gourmet food-gift company, filed for bankruptcy protection after reaching an agreement with lenders to trim debt. The Medford, Ore.-based retailer, owned by investment funds controlled by Wasserstein & Co., listed assets and debt of as much as $500 million each in a Chapter 11 petition filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. Companies use Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code to reorganize, cut debt and continue operating.

Blockbuster intends to cancel leases on more than 150 U.S. stores and abandon any property left in the buildings to the landlords. The company listed the leases it plans to cancel in two motions filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan.

Borders, which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February and has announced plans to close about a third of its stores, said it plans to pay key employees as much as $8.3 million in incentives and retention bonuses.

Amazon began selling applications for the Google Android smartphone in its new "Appstore" just days after Apple filed a lawsuit claiming that the digital storefront infringes its "App Store" trademark.