Amazon Asks Federal Judge To Dismiss FTC’s Antitrust Case

Attorneys for Amazon have asked a federal judge to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit against the e-commerce giant.

Amazon argued that the conduct labeled anti-competitive by the FTC consists of common retail practices that benefit consumers. I Photo: Amazon

They argued that the agency is attacking policies that benefit consumers and competition, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).

Amazon’s response came more than two months after the FTC, joined by 17 states, filed the historic complaint against the Seattle-based company, alleging it inflates prices and stifles competition in what the agency calls the “online superstore market” and in the field of “online marketplace services.”

In its 31-page filing made in a federal court in Washington state, Amazon pushed back, arguing that the conduct labeled anti-competitive by the FTC consists of common retail practices that benefit consumers.

The FTC’s complaint, filed in September, accused the company of engaging in anti-competitive practices through measures that deter third-party sellers from offering lower prices for products on non-Amazon sites.

The agency said Amazon buried listings offered at lower prices on other sites.

Simultaneously, it noted Amazon was charging merchants increasingly higher fees and driving up prices for products on its site. It also alleged Amazon kept sellers dependent on services, such as its logistics and delivery service, which have allowed it to collect billions in revenue every year.

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