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> Law firm Hausfeld, which represents Hunter, said on Thursday that Amazon has breached competition law by using “a secretive and self-favouring algorithm” to p
by legitster 4y ago
> Law firm Hausfeld, which represents Hunter, said on Thursday that Amazon has breached competition law by using “a secretive and self-favouring algorithm” to promote its own products through the “Buy Box” feature on its website.
> Hunter said in a statement: “Far from being a recommendation based on price or quality, the Buy Box favours products sold by Amazon itself, or by retailers who pay Amazon for handling their logistics. Other sellers, however good their offers might be, are effectively shut out.”
I'm scratching my head and trying to figure out how this is illegal or different than what every other retailer can do. Are store brands not a thing under UK law? Are stores required by law to only promote the lowest price?
As a consumer, I certainly don't want Amazon promoting random third party marketplace items over ones actually fulfilled by Amazon.
It's also hard to feel sorry for the kind of businesses hurt by this. Amazon's generics are for product categories that are woefully generic - they source from the same manufacturers as everyone else. And it's not the manufacturers that are suing, but other middle men who are reselling their own white-labeled junk from China.
- agd 4y ago> I'm scratching my head and trying to figure out how this is illegal or different than what every other retailer can do. I think it’s widely accepted that stronger rules can be applied in the case of monopolies. Amazon marketplace is considered by many to be a monopoly.
- pannSun 4y ago> Are store brands not a think under UK law? Store brands should also be looked at critically, yes. Especially for larger store chains.
- Ylpertnodi 4y ago"Welcome to Sainsbury's where our Tesco line undercuts the Morrisons selection, neither of which are better than ours but we have to play nice.". I dunno, when I go on bezos.co.uk I expect them to be pushing their own products. I don't have to shop there, and when I do, I know I don't have to.