Dutch regulator sends cease and desist letter to Amazon, Bol.com over fake discounts
The Consumentenbond has sent a formal cease and desist letter to online retailers Amazon and Bol.com, ordering them to immediately stop listing fake discounts on their sites. “Both parties are still using fake discounts and are thereby violating legal regulations,” said the Dutch advocacy group for consumers. If they do not comply, legal action will follow.
Researchers at the Consumentenbond monitored the prices of popular air fryers and Bluetooth speakers at Amazon and air fryers and televisions at Bol.com for two months. Amazon put 113 of these products on sale. In 46 cases, the retail giant did not follow the rules. Bol.com violated regulations in 62 of the 210 offers it had in this period.
At both stores, Consumentenbond found multiple examples of prices being lower before the sale. On July 6, for example, Amazon put a JBL Charge 6 speaker on “sale” for €147, claiming a 26% discount. According to Consumentenbond, the speaker’s price had been €133 for nearly a month before the sale. Amazon raised the price to €199.99 just before the sale.
On July 7, Bol.com offered a Samsung QE43Q7FA television for €349 with the claim “You save 12%” accompanied by a crossed-out “usual price” of €399. According to the advocacy group, the TV had never cost €399 in the 60 days preceding the sale. It was listed for €349 for almost the entire time, and even dropped to €329 on July 6.
The Netherlands has set strict rules on putting products on sale to protect consumers against fake discounts, especially around high-purchasing events like Black Friday, Christmas, and the World Cup.
“Amazon and Bol.com stubbornly continue to lure customers with this, despite the fact that these stores know the rules,” said Consumentenbond director Sandra Molenaar. “As far as we are concerned, enough is enough. We demand that Amazon and Bol.com adhere to pricing regulations and provide an honest representation of the price advantage in their offers. If they fail to do so, we will take legal action.”
Molenaar added that the Consumentenbond will continue to monitor online sellers in the run-up to Black Friday. “We urge consumers to report suspicious offers to us.”
