The German competition regulators have fined a contact lens manufacturer €11.5 million for trying to restrict the price their products were sold for on eBay. Reports are that the manufacturer, CIBA Vision, had spies checking prices on eBay and reporting sellers that were selling at less than RRP. Sellers who weren’t toeing the price line were contacted by CIBA and pressured to raise their prices. CIBA refuted the charges… but they’ve also said that they won’t be appealing the court decision or the fine.
This is a real win for retailers who believe they should be allowed to set their own prices and a stake in the ground for the rights of consumers to source the products that they want to buy with the buying experience they choose and (if that’s what they’re after) the best prices.
Via Consumer Choice
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