EU competition watchdog probes Amazon over merchant data use
The EU’s antitrust watchdog has opened a preliminary investigation into how Amazon handles third-party merchant data amid concern that the ecommerce giant could be abusing its position as both competitor and host.
EU places Amazon under the microscope over the use of merchant data
Questionnaires are being issued to merchants this week to gauge sentiment about this relationship and establish whether further, more formal, measures are required in response.
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager launched the proactive probe based on suspicions arising from its own observations of the market and the results of an earlier inquiry into the sector conducted last year.
Amazon has built itself into a global colossus by not only selling its own products but by allowing third-party sellers to list their own goods. In doing so such sellers can choose to avail themselves of Amazon’s own payment and fulfilment services.
In this way, Amazon benefits not only from fee payments but by further diversifying the selection of products available to purchase on its marketplace.
Officials stress that the preliminary appraisal of this set-up does not amount to a formal investigation.
Last year Google was hit by a €2.4bn antitrust fine for abusing its market dominance in a separate EU ruling.
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