Amazon hit with antitrust lawsuit after DC AG says TTFN to price fixing

The District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday, claiming the internet goliath is illegally abusing its power to manipulate online retail prices and screw over merchants. In his court filing, Washington DC’s Attorney General Karl Racine slammed [PDF] Amazon for insisting that businesses that set …

[Anonymous Coward]

Retail Price Maintenance

has been illegal in tje UK for over 40 years.

[Chris G]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

I doubt if that makes any difference to Amazon's T&Cs for British sellers, worth investigating.

Every time I look for something on Amazon it is usually 10-15% higher than other places.

In addition Amazon's shipping in rural Spain is rubbish, at least hslf the time goods are sent back to the sender without contact, an SMS or even a thought.

[MiguelC]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

I agree that Amazon shipping in rural areas is shite, but that's more due to the local couriers than Amazon's own fault - in my area they use both MRW, who's really bad, with many packages sent back to sender, and the Post Office, who, although not as bad, is frequently late (I waited 12 days to receive a Kindle, from the day Amazon told me it was sent to it being delivered to my door)

Anyway, the best is to avoid Amazon, as they are awful all around as a company

[Chris G]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

@MiguelIC

I stil blame Amazon because as the agent between the seller and buyer, it is part of their job to ensure the standards for shipping and delivery.

In my area Comunidad de Valencia, SEUR are unrivaled in their basement scraping standards of service, 2 thousand odd online reviews have an average of one and a bit stars, it is that high because giving less than one star is not possible.

Correos losses here run at about 2-3% .

[JimboSmith]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

I believe Amazon have some 'curious' tax arrangements and I should avoid them as a result. However it's so convenient when you can order something and in Central London have it next day or even same day on some items. I hate myself for using it though.

[Mishak]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

In my experience, it depends. Most of the stuff I buy from Amazon is usually about the same price else where - difference being, I get free delivery from Amazon (rural UK, excellent service).

[Mishak]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

Is Retail Price Maintenance what's going on here? I thought that was were a manufacturer set the retail price, rather than the merchant selling for £x through door 'A' and £y through door 'B'.

[Mage]

Re: Retail Price Maintenance

Amazon forces eBook, paper book etc publishers to set the price.

Apple & Google force Publishers of books, games etc to set the price.

That's illegal in many countries.

[Detective Emil]

TTFN?

Totally Too Favored Nation?

[Jon 37]

Re: TTFN?

Ta Ta For Now.

A way of saying "goodbye".

[don't you hate it when you lose your account]

Amazon was not immediately available for comment.

As they were busy polishing one of their luxury yachts

[Mage]

See also

KDP Select

Unlimited

KOLL

Prime

Adding of DRM via KFX when publisher ticks "No DRM".

Amazon has now 90%+ of English language ebooks worldwide.

About 80%+ of USA online paper sales.

Won't supply Libraries. (details are complicated).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Amazon

They are too big and abusive. They are two things: A mail order company and Cloud Services. Their Ring should be divested.

Google is a different sort of problem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Alphabet

They are an advertising company, so unfit to run Search, Maps, YouTube, Android, PlayStore, Google Books, Google Art, Chrome OS, Chrome Browser.

Didn't Watson say the World only needed six computers? If he meant companies like Alphabet-Google, Zuckerberg, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft etc in the West he was only a little off target.

The internet tends to one of each thing.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dont get it

I followed the link mentioned in the article, and I don't see anything at all in their policy that this article or the lawsuit says. Word for word, here is the text.

Amazon Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy

Sellers are responsible for setting their own prices on Amazon marketplaces. In our mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company, Amazon strives to provide our customers with the largest selection at the lowest price, and with the fastest delivery as sellers play an important role.

Amazon regularly monitors the prices of items on our marketplaces, including shipping costs, and compares them with other prices available to our customers. If we see pricing practices on a marketplace offer that harms customer trust, Amazon can remove the Buy Box, remove the offer, suspend the ship option, or, in serious or repeated cases, suspending or terminating selling privileges.

Pricing practices that harm customer trust include, but are not limited to:

Setting a reference price on a product or service that misleads customers;

Setting a price on a product or service that is significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon; or

Selling multiple units of a product for more per unit than that of a single unit of the same product.

Setting a shipping fee on a product that is excessive. Amazon considers current public carrier rates, reasonable handling charges, as well as buyer perception when determining whether a shipping price violated our fair pricing policy.

[Noodle]

Re: Dont get it

"Setting a price on a product or service that is significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon"

In other words, if you offer your goods on your own or someone else's website for less than it appears on Amazon you can find your listing suspended or potentially your account banned.