Amazon will not escape antitrust prosecution in the United States. In a decision published on Monday, October 7, the justice rejected a request from the online commerce giant, which asked to invalidate the proceedings initiated last year by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US competition watchdog.
Small consolation for Amazon: A judge dismissed the claims made by the attorneys general of the 19 states who joined the FTC complaint. The trial is expected to take place in 2026. If Amazon is found guilty, a second proceeding will be opened to determine what corrective actions should be taken.
‘Artificially high prices’
The FTC complaint centers around Amazon’s Marketplace, a marketplace that connects third-party merchants and buyers. The regulator confirms that the Seattle group has implemented the practices “illegal” With a purpose “Prevent competition, curb the growth of competitors, and enhance dominance.”.
The FTC accuses it of implicitly preventing merchants from offering lower prices on their own sites or on other platforms. This results ‘Artificially high prices’ On all sites. It prevents the emergence of real competitors capable of undercutting Amazon’s prices.
Advertising and logistics
Officially, the company no longer imposes a pricing requirement since 2019. However, in reality, the FTC says, it has penalties that discourage third-party sellers from offering lower prices elsewhere. For example, the latter can be excluded from the “Buy Box”, the yellow button that allows you to purchase the product directly. Or appear much lower in search results.
The FTC also believes that the online commerce giant is pushing sellers to buy ads so they can be seen. And also subscribe to its logistics offer (FBA), allowing them to qualify for free two-day delivery, on pain of disadvantage compared to competing products.
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