About
Shoppers at the Kittery Trading Post
Maine's retail businesses are facing more competition and greater challenges today than ever before. In such an environment, it is essential to have an advocate to ward off burdensome laws and regulations that add to the cost and reduce business efficiency. Maine's merchant businesspeople also need a source for products and services, at affordable prices, that all businesses require.
Your Voice, Your Pocket:
The Maine Merchants Association represents the retail merchant industry before elected officials for policy and voting decisions. We are on the front lines of issues that directly affect your bottom line: wage and hour issues, worker's compensation costs, employee benefits, health care costs, taxes and more.
Our lobbying and issue education efforts play an integral role in the democratic process and ensure sound policy decisions. Just a few examples of our recent work on behalf of members:
- Upheld private property rights by prohibiting petitioners from gathering signatures at retail locations.
- Defeated a controversial and expensive proposal to have Maine become the first state and only state to mandate paid family leave.
- Helped moderate the recent minimum wage bill which would have indexed future increases to the Consumer Price Index. That provision was stripped out.
You can see more information about the bills we track, or by viewing our newsletter.
We are also one of the first stops for the print, radio and television media for background information in news stories.
Services
We use our strength in membership to negotiate services for merchants that may not be available to businesses individually. The services we offer have been developed in response to member needs and requests. We strive to improve a business's bottom line by offering money-saving services of value to any business.
Our members take advantage of a wide range of money-saving programs, including merchant services like credit/debit card processing, a proven worker's compensation insurance trust, and other valuable services.
On behalf of our members, large and small, we research your questions regarding laws enacted by the legislature and rules adopted by state agencies. While we cannot offer legal advice, we can usually cut through the red tape and point members in the right direction. This service saves our members valuable time, money and enables you to comply with the law. Please contact us with questions, or check out some Frequently Asked Questions
We help educate our members through a variety of events targeted to merchants. Recent events include: Effective Merchandising, Loss Prevention, and Data Security Protection. Check out our full events calender.
Governance
The Maine Merchants Association is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors who represents a wide variety of merchants who do business in Maine. Two-thirds of the board members are Maine-based merchants. The Board meets ten times each year in different locations around the state. The full membership meets annually in October.
The Maine Merchants Association is a 501c-6, tax-exempt organization supported by members' dues, sponsorships and event income.
Publications
Our Maine Merchants newsletter is published ten times a year and includes information about retail trends, statistics, current and proposed laws with which businesses need to comply, member profiles, and information about endorsed services. During the legislative session, we issue weekly electronic legislative updates and issue periodic electronic updates during the remainder of the year.
Contact
The Maine Merchants Association is located at 5 Wade Street in Augusta, Maine.
Our mailing address is P.O. Box 5060, Augusta, ME 04086. Phone: (207) 623-1149. Fax: (207) 623-8377. E-mail:curtis@mainemerchants.org
A member with multiple locationsOn our detailed explanation of the new gift card rules: "Thank you very much for this helpful information. Quite a time saver for me!"