Dell hit with Oz court case for misleading prices on monitors

Dell's Australian business is in trouble with the country's consumer watchdog for allegedly misleading buyers about the price of displays purchased as an add-on with its computers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it has initiated Federal Court proceedings against Dell Australia Pty Limited, …

[Richard 12]

If it was a genuine mistake

Then they'll have already refunded the affected customers, so they all got the actual cash discount they were offered, right?

Oh, they haven't?

Throw the book at them, then.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: If it was a genuine mistake

Interesting that they had to be told about this "error" that seems to have been raking in extra profits for well over two whole years too (at least!).

Did it really take that long before anyone noticed? Or does "justice" take that long to wind it's way from the consumer complaints to the "system" officially informing the vendor?

Assuming Dell were told of this quite early on by consumers and they did nothing about it implies that either the complaint was never passed up to someone who could take action or Dell figures the fine will be less than the extra profits they made. Either way they are guilty of something. But leaving it for so long will strongly imply to a judge that it was deliberate price gouging and Dell will most definitely be able to identify every single customer by purchase order who is affected. This ought to mean refunds of the difference, possibly plus compo and bigger fines for the offence.

Lets hope it goes to court and not end up with some wishy-washy out of court settlement where the lawyers take most of the settlement and the punters get a $5 voucher they can spend back at Dell (ie it's worth £1 in actual cost to Dell)

[Sampler]

Dell, being rubbish?

I'm shocked, shocked, SHOCKED!

Well, not that shocked..

[Winkypop]

Mistake?

Or DELLiberate?