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Why Amazon and Apple is facing a $225 Million Fine in Italy

Amazon and Apple are been fine the sum of $225 million in Italy. Why are these companies facing this fine in Italy? Well according to Italy’s antitrust authority, this is because both companies removed select Apple product resellers from Amazon’s platform.

The agreement to remove other sellers of Apple products from Amazon.it goes way back to 2018. This agreement pushed out retailers using amazon.it to sell Apple and Beats devices from the platform. Italy’s antitrust authority claims this agreement is a violation of the European Union rules that’s affecting price competition.

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A report on Reuters says that the Italian authority has fine Apple 134.5 million and Amazon 68.7 million euros. In addition, both companies are ordered to put an end to this restriction and allow other Apple retailers to sell genuine App products on Amazon.

Rejecting the fine, Apple said:

To ensure our customers purchase genuine products, we work closely with our reseller partners and have dedicated teams of experts around the world who work with law enforcement, customs and merchants to ensure only genuine Apple products are being sold.

Amazon also responded to the fine calling it “disproportionate and unjustified”. It added:

We reject the suggestion that Amazon benefits by excluding sellers from our store, since our business model relies on their success. As a result of the agreement, Italian customers can find the latest Apple and Beats products on our store, benefiting from a catalogue that more than doubled, with better deals and faster shipping.

Both Apple and Amazon have said that they plan to appeal against the fines.

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This contract decreases the number of fake Apple products on Amazon. However, it is also unfair towards genuine resellers who used to depend on the platform to sell Apple goods. We will have to wait and see how they will eventually close this case.

While it’s true that the agreement between Amazon and Apple did prevent other retailers from selling Apple products on Amazon. It also reduce the number of fake Apple products sold in the platform significantly.

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So, one might argue Apple is doing this for itself but we know what Apple thinks of its reputation when it comes to its products. And the high standard the company have held over the years.

But tell us, what do you think about this fine? Should it imposed and Apple and Amazon ends the long standing agreement? Or should both companies be left alone to do their thing? Use the comment section below.


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