Amazon overcharges shoppers with Buy Box algorithm, fresh lawsuit claims
Amazon has been sued by two customers in the United States who claim the internet titan artificially inflates prices, hitting shoppers in the wallet.
Each product listed on the gigantic e-souk usually has a so-called Buy Box on the right-hand side of the page encouraging folks to put items straight into their virtual carts.
The Buy Box discloses the supplier of each item, which is either Amazon itself or a third-party vendor. Crucially, Amazon's algorithms choose who the featured supplier is. There is sometimes a box underneath the Buy Box that lists the same item from other sellers.
A lawsuit filed in a federal district court in Washington argues this approach is misleading for shoppers. Buyers may get the impression that the price and shipping source shown in the Buy Box is the best option available, when in fact a better deal may be had from other suppliers in the box down below, it is claimed.
How the Buy Box appears prominently on the right on Amazon product pages, and alternative sellers are listed below in a separate little box
