Isn't this like Costco requiring manufacturers to offer SKUs at Costco that are not sold anywhere else? Or mattress stores offering to match price knowing full well that the SKUs in their store are not sold elsewhere?
replyThis policy feels like incentive enough for Chinese manufacturers to not build behind a single brand, so the policy will not apply. Materially the same product, different SKU under a different brand name.
Feels trivially easy to get around this policy.
Costco is a membership club, and AFAIK these have different rules.
replyWhy should it be illegal? Its their platform. If enough sellers don't like it and leave then Amazon will have to change their policy. There's several other platforms people can sell their stuff on.
replyYes, because “free” market deregulation has worked out so well for consumers over the last 30 years.
reply“Don’t like the monopoly? You’re free to go elsewhere. No wait, there is no elsewhere. Oh well, I guess you must like it here then since you keep coming back. “
But there is “elsewhere”. You can buy directly from the manufacturer.
replyI do not get the complaint. People shop at Amazon because they see the value Amazon provides: easy returns, free and fast shipping, etc.
Because it's monopolistic and hinders other competitors from entering the marketplace which harms consumers in the longterm.
replyIn what way is it monopolistic? Amazon has many competitors
replyAre they really competing if they can't have a lower price than Amazon?
replyBecause its a collective action problem. Being on Amazon is the least bad option for any individual business even though they would all be better off if they left simultaneously. IMO a primary purpose of market regulation should be to counteract these types of problems so that the market can move itself out of a local maxima and become more efficient overall.
replyIt's already illegal in EU and UK
replyThis is not even remotely a response to the question asked by the comment you’re replying to.
replyEveryone keeps talking about dynamic pricing.
replyBut these sorts of contractual limits on a vendors pricing elsewhere should be illegal.
Walmart does this as well: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/pepsico-walmart-hit...