§ 6-13-1. Definitions. (a) “Cost to the retailer” means the invoice cost of the merchandise to the retailer within thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, or the replacement cost of the merchandise to the retailer within thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, in the quantity last purchased, […]
§ 6-13-10. Unsolicited goods. The receipt of unsolicited goods, wares, or merchandise through the mail or otherwise shall for all purposes be deemed an unconditional gift to the recipient who may use or dispose of the unsolicited goods, wares, or merchandise in any manner he or she sees fit without any obligation on his or […]
§ 6-13-11. Discount price advertisement. It shall be unlawful to use, communicate, or publish any advertisement that states that an item or product is being sold or offered for sale at below the regular price or at a percentage off the regular price without posting the regular price at the point of purchase. Whenever an […]
§ 6-13-12. Sales of gift certificates. (a) “Gift certificate” means a record evidencing a promise, made for monetary consideration, by the seller or issuer for the record that goods or services will be provided to the owner of the record to the value shown in the record and includes, but is not limited to: (1) […]
§ 6-13-12.1. Donation of gift certificates. Any gift certificate/card as defined in § 6-13-12 that has been donated for fundraising purposes shall be exempt from the provisions of § 6-13-12 relating to expiration dates, provided, that the gift certificate/card clearly states that the gift certificate/card has been donated for charity purposes and is subject to […]
§ 6-13-13. Cash register windows — Obstruction of view. It shall be unlawful to intentionally obstruct the view of any price being registered by a cash register or similar device, or the total cost of purchases, during a sale at retail of any goods or merchandise if the price is not visible to the consumer […]
§ 6-13-14. Automatic lease renewal — Notice required. (a) For purposes of this section, “automatic lease renewal” means a provision in a written lease of personal property providing that, unless the lessee gives written notice to the contrary, the lease shall be automatically renewed for an additional term at the end of the initial lease […]
§ 6-13-15. Prohibition against recording credit card or social security numbers on checks. It shall be unlawful, during a sale at retail of any goods or merchandise, to record any credit card or all or part of a social security number obtained from a purchaser as a means of identification upon the check of the […]
§ 6-13-16. Prohibition against recording personal information in credit card transactions. (a) No person, firm, partnership, or corporation that accepts credit cards for the transaction of business shall require the credit card holder to write or cause to be written on a transaction form any personal identification information, including, but not limited to, the credit […]
§ 6-13-17. Requiring consumers to furnish social security numbers. (a) Unless otherwise required by federal law, no person shall require that a consumer of goods or services disclose all or part of a social security number incident to the sale of consumer goods or services; provided, however, that: (1) Insurance companies and institutions licensed by […]
§ 6-13-18. Check cashing discrimination. A business that willingly accepts personal checks from Rhode Island customers for goods or services shall be prohibited from refusing checks based solely on the geographic area in which the customer lives within the state of Rhode Island. Any person, firm, or corporation violating the provisions of this section shall […]
§ 6-13-19. Requiring consumers to furnish social security numbers. No person, firm, corporation, or other business entity that offers discount cards for purchases made at any business maintained by the offeror shall require that a consumer of goods who applies for a discount card furnish all or part of his or her social security number […]
§ 6-13-2. Computation of cost of tobacco products. For purposes of this chapter: (1) The tax imposed by chapter 20 of title 44 shall be deemed to be a part of the original cost of cigarettes to the wholesaler; (2) The invoice or replacement cost of cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, and other […]
§ 6-13-2.1. Sales of milk. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, with intent to injure competitors or destroy competition, to sell within the state any milk or render any service in connection with the sale or distribution of milk at a price less than the cost of the milk or services, including, in […]
§ 6-13-20. Rebate restrictions — prohibited. No person, firm, business, partnership or corporation that issues rebates to its customers in the course of their transactions of business shall restrict their use to one per household per item purchased; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to rebates on the sale of beverages. History of […]
§ 6-13-21. Price gouging — Essential commodities. (a) Upon a declaration of a state of emergency by the governor, or federal disaster declaration by the president, it shall be an unfair sales practice for individuals or retailers to participate in price gouging by making sales, or offering to sell, within the area for which the […]
§ 6-13-3. Penalty for advertising or sale to injure competitors or destroy competition. Any retailer, who, with intent to injure competitors or destroy competition, advertises, offers to sell, or sells at retail any item of merchandise at less than cost to the retailer, or any wholesaler who, with intent as previously mentioned, advertises, offers to […]
§ 6-13-4. Below-cost sales as evidence of intent. Evidence of any advertisement; offer to sell; or sale of any item of merchandise by any retailer or wholesaler at less than cost to him or her, as defined in this chapter, shall be prima facie evidence of intent to injure competitors or destroy competition. History of […]
§ 6-13-5. Sales exempt from chapter. This chapter shall not apply with respect to advertising or offering to sell or selling, at retail or at wholesale, as the case may be, if done: (1) In an isolated transaction and not in the usual course of business; (2) Where merchandise is sold in bona fide clearance […]
§ 6-13-6. Enforcement of chapter. Upon the complaint of any person, the superior court shall have jurisdiction to restrain and enjoin any act forbidden or declared illegal by any provisions of this chapter and it shall be the duty of the attorney general of this state to enforce and restrain the violation of the sections […]
