Dell’s Australia arm has been slapped with a $10 million AUD (about $6.49 million) fine for “making false and misleading representations on its website about discount prices for add-on computer monitors,” the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced today.
As Ars Technica previously reported, the ACCC launched litigation against Dell Australia in November.
In June, the Australian Federal Court declared that Dell Australia made shoppers believe monitors would be cheaper if bought as an add-on item.
Dell Australia’s website would use savings-signaling lingo, such as: “Includes x% off,” “Total Savings” plus a dollar amount, and “Get the best price for popular accessories when purchased with this product,” the ACCC noted.
Dell Australia also admitted to overstating “discounts customers received” since “monitors were not sold for the strikethrough price for most of the relevant time” and that it “contravened the Australian Consumer Law,” according to ACCC’s announcement today.
“We took this action against Dell Australia because consumers rely on accurate information about prices and discounts to make purchasing decisions," Carver said in a statement today.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Dell’s Australia arm has been slapped with a $10 million AUD (about $6.49 million) fine for “making false and misleading representations on its website about discount prices for add-on computer monitors,” the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced today.
As Ars Technica previously reported, the ACCC launched litigation against Dell Australia in November.
In June, the Australian Federal Court declared that Dell Australia made shoppers believe monitors would be cheaper if bought as an add-on item.
Dell Australia’s website would use savings-signaling lingo, such as: “Includes x% off,” “Total Savings” plus a dollar amount, and “Get the best price for popular accessories when purchased with this product,” the ACCC noted.
Dell Australia also admitted to overstating “discounts customers received” since “monitors were not sold for the strikethrough price for most of the relevant time” and that it “contravened the Australian Consumer Law,” according to ACCC’s announcement today.
“We took this action against Dell Australia because consumers rely on accurate information about prices and discounts to make purchasing decisions," Carver said in a statement today.
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