New small business coalition targets Amazon on antitrust
3 years, 9 months ago

New small business coalition targets Amazon on antitrust

The Hindu  

A new coalition of small business groups on Tuesday launched a campaign for tougher U.S. antitrust enforcement, specifically calling for the breakup of online commerce titan Amazon. It specifically named Amazon, saying the company's "stranglehold over online commerce is one of the top threats facing independent businesses." The group said the congressional investigation "found that Amazon has exploited its gatekeeper power over online shopping traffic to impose exorbitant fees, demand oppressive terms and extract valuable data from independent manufacturers and retailers that depend on its platform." A company statement said that "Amazon empowered small and medium-sized businesses to generate hundreds of billions of dollars in sales last year, and their sales are growing significantly faster than Amazon's first-party sales." ‘Not a level playing field’ Danny Caine, owner of the independent Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kansas, said Amazon was "writing the rules of the game, and they're playing the game at the same time."

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History of this topic

FTC's Amazon antitrust lawsuit faces high bar in US court -experts
1 year, 3 months ago

FTC's Amazon antitrust lawsuit faces high bar in US court -experts

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit accusing Amazon.com of abusing its retail market power to stifle competition faces hurdles in court, testing the scope of U.S. antitrust law and posing roadblocks for the agency, legal experts said. Several legal experts told Reuters that the FTC faces a high bar in trying to show that U.S. consumers would be better off …

Federal Trade Commission hits Amazon with "one of the most important antitrust cases in US history"
1 year, 3 months ago

Federal Trade Commission hits Amazon with "one of the most important antitrust cases in US history"

Salon  

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. The document — filed in a federal court in Washington state — alleges that Amazon maintains "durable monopoly power" in the online superstore and marketplace services markets, including by stifling price competition and coercing sellers into using its fulfillment service. "Seldom in the history of U.S. antitrust law has one case had the …

FTC to file antitrust case against Amazon as soon as Tuesday
1 year, 3 months ago

FTC to file antitrust case against Amazon as soon as Tuesday

The Hindu  

September 23, 2023 09:19 am | Updated 09:50 am IST The Federal Trade Commission will file a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon in federal court as soon as Tuesday, Politico reported on Friday, kicking off the latest leg in the US effort to rein in the market power of Big Tech companies. The legal action, which would follow federal lawsuits …

Amazon.com set to meet with U.S. FTC ahead of potential antitrust lawsuit: Source
1 year, 5 months ago

Amazon.com set to meet with U.S. FTC ahead of potential antitrust lawsuit: Source

The Hindu  

Amazon.com is set to meet next week with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ahead of a potential long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against the retailer, according to a source familiar with the matter. The FTC began probing Amazon during former President Donald Trump's administration when the government decided to investigate Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple for allegedly breaking antitrust law. Before becoming …

Amazon beats a retreat as India’s ONDC broadens its horizons
2 years, 1 month ago

Amazon beats a retreat as India’s ONDC broadens its horizons

The Hindu  

Amazon is reworking its plans. In January 2020, at a conference in New Delhi, then Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and head of Amazon India, Amit Agarwal, said the retail giant will pump in a billion dollars to help the country’s small and medium-sized businesses. Amazon’s shift in investment and retreat from wholesale distribution comes at a time when India’s own …

FTC investigating Amazon’s $3.9B purchase of One Medical
2 years, 4 months ago

FTC investigating Amazon’s $3.9B purchase of One Medical

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Amazon’s $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary health organization One Medical, a move that could delay the completion of the deal. Both One Medical and Amazon received a request for additional information Friday in connection with an FTC review of the merger, according to a filing made with securities regulators by …

Amazon offers concessions to head off EU antitrust cases
2 years, 5 months ago

Amazon offers concessions to head off EU antitrust cases

Associated Press  

LONDON — Amazon, seeking to resolve two European Union antitrust investigations, has promised to treat third-party merchants on its website fairly, the bloc’s competition watchdog said Thursday. The U.S. online retail giant offered to make a number of commitments to ease competition concerns, and the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s top antitrust enforcer, said it will now seek feedback on …

Amazon offers concessions to head off European Union anti-trust case
2 years, 5 months ago

Amazon offers concessions to head off European Union anti-trust case

The Hindu  

Amazon, seeking to resolve two European Union anti-trust investigations, has promised to treat third-party merchants on its website fairly, the bloc's competition watchdog said on July 14. The U. S. online retail giant offered to make a number of commitments to ease competition concerns, and the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it will now seek feedback …

Amazon faces UK investigation over anti-competitive concerns
2 years, 6 months ago

Amazon faces UK investigation over anti-competitive concerns

Associated Press  

LONDON — Britain’s competition watchdog is investigating whether Amazon is harming competition and hurting consumers by giving an unfair advantage to merchants that pay for extra services. The watchdog said it will consider whether Amazon gives an unfair edge to merchants using optional services that cost extra, including storage, packaging and delivery. With millions of customers in Britain, “it’s right …

Amazon Feels It Has Been Unfairly Targeted By U.S. Antitrust Bill
2 years, 7 months ago

Amazon Feels It Has Been Unfairly Targeted By U.S. Antitrust Bill

News 18  

WASHINGTON: Amazon.com Inc on Wednesday lambasted a bill in Congress barring tech giants from giving preference to their own businesses on their websites, saying it unfairly singles the retailer out while not subjecting rivals to similar regulations. Amazon said in a blog post https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/antitrust-legislation-and-the-unintended-negative-consequences-for-american-consumers-and-small-businesses that the bill "jeopardizes two of the things American consumers love most about Amazon: the vast …

Amazon warns merchants about antitrust bills in Congress
3 years, 4 months ago

Amazon warns merchants about antitrust bills in Congress

The Hindu  

Amazon has warned some merchants selling via its marketplace that antitrust proposals in the U.S. Congress might hurt their business, a company spokesperson said. In June, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary approved legislation that would make companies like Amazon decide between running a platform and competing on it. The antitrust bills have garnered bipartisan support, representing Washington's most …

DC files antitrust case vs Amazon over treatment of vendors
3 years, 7 months ago

DC files antitrust case vs Amazon over treatment of vendors

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia has sued Amazon, accusing the online retail giant of anticompetitive practices in its treatment of sellers on its platform. The suit filed Tuesday in the District of Columbia court maintains that Amazon has fixed online retail prices through contract provisions and policies it applies to third-party sellers. “We filed this antitrust lawsuit to put …

Amazon is hit with its first U.S. antitrust lawsuit
3 years, 7 months ago

Amazon is hit with its first U.S. antitrust lawsuit

LA Times  

An Amazon logo appears on an Amazon delivery van. In his complaint, Racine said Amazon’s policies governing third-party sellers prohibit them from offering products at lower prices on rival platforms, which has led to artificially high prices for consumers and let the company build monopoly power. The agreements mean the fees Amazon charges to sellers are incorporated into the prices …

DC sues Amazon over alleged antitrust violations
3 years, 7 months ago

DC sues Amazon over alleged antitrust violations

CNN  

CNN Business — The District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday, alleging the tech giant has abused its market dominance in e-commerce to harm competition and keep retail prices artificially high across the entire internet. DC Attorney General Karl Racine’s lawsuit against Amazon zeroes in on the e-commerce company’s relationships with third-party sellers, alleging that Amazon …

Amazon announces $250 million fund to digitise small businesses in India
3 years, 8 months ago

Amazon announces $250 million fund to digitise small businesses in India

India Today  

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday announced a $250 million venture fund for India, focused on bringing the country's small businesses online, as the company comes under fire from local retailers. "We are very passionate about trying to enable acceleration of small and medium-sized businesses, in fuelling innovation and the economy in India," the company's incoming CEO Andy Jassy said at Amazon …

Amazon is the target of small-business antitrust campaign
3 years, 9 months ago

Amazon is the target of small-business antitrust campaign

Live Mint  

Merchant groups are forming a national coalition to campaign for stricter antitrust laws, including measures that could force Amazon.com Inc. to spin off some of its business lines. The groups, which collectively represent thousands of businesses, want federal legislation that would prevent the owner of a dominant online marketplace from selling its own products in competition with other sellers, a …

Amazon is the target of small-business antitrust campaign
3 years, 9 months ago

Amazon is the target of small-business antitrust campaign

Live Mint  

Merchant groups are forming a national coalition to campaign for stricter antitrust laws, including measures that could force Amazon.com Inc. to spin off some of its business lines. The groups, which collectively represent thousands of businesses, want federal legislation that would prevent the owner of a dominant online marketplace from selling its own products in competition with other sellers, a …

EU charges Amazon with anti-competitive action, opens second probe
4 years, 1 month ago

EU charges Amazon with anti-competitive action, opens second probe

The Hindu  

EU regulators charged Amazon on Tuesday with distorting competition in online retail and opened a second investigation into its business practices, as antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager takes aim at another U.S. technology giant. The European Commission has been investigating Amazon's dual role - as a marketplace for merchants and also a rival seller - since July last year, triggered by …

EU hits Amazon with antitrust charges. A huge fine could follow
4 years, 1 month ago

EU hits Amazon with antitrust charges. A huge fine could follow

CNN  

London CNN Business — The European Union has unveiled formal antitrust charges against Amazon for abusing its dominance in online shopping and opened a second investigation into the company’s business practices. Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s top antitrust official, accused Amazon on Tuesday of illegally abusing its dominant position as an online marketplace in Germany and France, the company’s biggest …

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators
4 years, 1 month ago

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators

NPR  

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 3:06 p.m. is that the use of non-public marketplace seller data allows Amazon to avoid the normal risks of retail competition and to leverage its dominance in the market," the European Commission, the EU's top antitrust enforcer, said on Tuesday …

Amazon faces new antitrust challenge from Indian online sellers
4 years, 4 months ago

Amazon faces new antitrust challenge from Indian online sellers

The Hindu  

A group of more than 2,000 online sellers has filed an antitrust case against Amazon in India, alleging the U.S. company favours some retailers whose online discounts drive independent vendors out of business, a legal filing seen by Reuters showed. India tightened regulations last year to deter steep discounts, but small sellers still say Amazon uses complex business structures to …

Amazon faces new antitrust challenge from Indian online sellers: Legal documents
4 years, 4 months ago

Amazon faces new antitrust challenge from Indian online sellers: Legal documents

India Today  

A group of more than 2,000 online sellers has filed an antitrust case against Amazon in India, alleging the U.S. company favours some retailers whose online discounts drive independent vendors out of business, a legal filing seen by Reuters showed. India tightened regulations last year to deter steep discounts, but small sellers still say Amazon uses complex business structures to …

US senator urges criminal probe of Amazon's alleged 'predatory data practices' on vendors
4 years, 8 months ago

US senator urges criminal probe of Amazon's alleged 'predatory data practices' on vendors

Firstpost  

This comes after a report that Amazon collects data about products sold by third parties on its site in order to create Amazon-branded copies. Senator Josh Hawley urged the Justice Department on Tuesday to open a criminal probe of Amazon.com Inc, saying the online retailer was building a monopoly using “predatory data practices” on vendors using its platform. Hawley, a …

The pandemic is playing to almost every one of Amazon’s strengths
4 years, 9 months ago

The pandemic is playing to almost every one of Amazon’s strengths

CNN  

CNN Business — As the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to stay inside, few companies have proven themselves as essential as Amazon. Last week, Amazon said in a blog post that it’s nearly finished hiring an additional 100,000 workers to “help meet demand.” But these boom times aren’t without further challenges.For example, Amazon has had to battle price gouging on …

The EU's latest antitrust probe could hit Amazon where it hurts
5 years, 5 months ago

The EU's latest antitrust probe could hit Amazon where it hurts

Wired  

Amazon / WIRED Amazon is facing the wrath of the European Commission's scrupulous competition regulator. Margaret Vestager has opened an antitrust case against the online retailer's data practices around third party sellers. The Commission opened a preliminary investigation opened in October 2018 and has found evidence that Amazon might be using competitively sensitive information about marketplace sellers, their products and …

Elizabeth Warren: ‘It’s not even hard’ to break up Amazon and other tech giants
5 years, 9 months ago

Elizabeth Warren: ‘It’s not even hard’ to break up Amazon and other tech giants

LA Times  

Washington Post South by Southwest can be a kingmaker for the buzziest new apps — Twitter and Foursquare first took off in previous festivals here. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s bold proposal to take on Google, Amazon and Facebook barreled through the conference, which continues through March 17 in Austin, Texas, like an electric scooter on a crowded sidewalk. Onstage at one …

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