Companies claim right to interfere with eBay auctions

[lanlady]

Source: Public citizen

I predicted here that companies would soon rely on the Supreme Court’s decision in Leegin Creative Leather Products v. PSKS to justify interfering with competition from less expensive products sold online. It did not take long for that prediction to come true. Although interference with eBay sales is nothing new (see here and here), companies in two recently filed federal cases explicitly invoke Leegin as a justification for terminating the eBay auctions of competitors that charge lower prices online. These cases not only show Leegin’s likely effect on Internet sales, but are also, unfortunately, fairly typical examples of the sort of anticompetitive actions companies take to fight lower-priced competition online.

In the first case, Merle Norman Cosmetics v. LaBarbera, No. 07-60811 (S.D. Fla.), Merle Norman Cosmetics filed suit against eBay seller Joyce LaBarbera for selling its makeup on eBay at a discount.

Read more: http://pubcit.typepad.com/clpblog/2007/07/leegin-and-ebay.html

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The end of bargain perfumes, make-up, etc etc on eBay?

[R_M]

1. The so-called "Free Market" Conservatives don't like the system....

when it doesn't benefit their contributors.

[liberal N proud]

2. It's only a free market when it benefits the corporations who sympathize with the gov.

[Toucano]

3. That's because there's no such thing as a "free market" conservative.

They're all just fascists.

[SayWhatYo]

5. Even a liberation who leans conservative?

I think you're simplifying things a bit too much.

[msongs]

4. free market solution = companies allowing lower prices will take over the market

and merle norman can keep his/her high price mud in the warehouse while lower priced colored mud will take over.

why women want to smear that toxic waste all over themselves is beyond me anyway.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[napi21]

6. That probably true for certain brands. Some businesses have

a contractural agreement with their vendors that no one will sell an item below a specific price. This has been going on for YEARS! It used to be isolated to companies like Motorola, RCA, etc, and some major appliance mfgs. It seems like that part has all changed since those companies mostly have their products made outside the US. I don't see this a being a BIG problem on Ebay except for items like high end name brand cosmetics, and maybe new released items like the WII and the iPhone.

[pokercat999]

8. Still happens, Tracker Boat Group which includes

brands like, Tahoe Boats, Tracker Boats, Sun Tracker, Nitro Bass Boats, Pro Craft, Makao and others are all sold at national "no haggle no hassel prices". If a dealer sold the boat for less he would lose his contract with Tracker.

[michreject]

9. All Clad is the same and has been for years

My wife has 32 pieces and she paid retail for every one of them.

[Occulus]

7. ALERT: when you said (see here and here), your links somehow fdidn't make it.

As of this writing, you have time to fix it, I think.

As to the content, this action comes as no surprise. I think the MPAA and RIAA could have a field day with that ruling as well.