Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17240 Location: Texas

A civil lawsuit filed in Superior Court of California in Alameda County yesterday charges Overstock.com Inc.28Overstock.com Inc.Mass MerchantOnline Sales:$876,769,000 Growth:5.7% See More with making “untrue and misleading” claims about its prices. The suit, which was filed by seven Northern California district attorneys, alleges that Overstock’s comparison prices, which the web retailer uses as a basis for setting discounts, are consistently inaccurate.

The suit states that since January 1, 2006, “Overstock routinely and systematically made untrue and misleading comparative advertising claims about the prices of its products.” The complaint charges that prices presented under the labels “List Price” and “Compare At (Overstock) Price” were not prevailing market prices and that Overstock “used various misleading measures to inflate the comparative prices, and thus artificially increase the discounts it claimed to be offering customers.”

more.. link to news article

cohibastore.com · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 4908

'bout time too.

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

I saw a lot of sellers in eBay selling items with price tickets in some cases asking 5 times the value of the item.

cohibastore.com · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 4908

elpereles wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I saw a lot of sellers in eBay selling items with price tickets in some cases asking 5 times the value of the item.

there is big difference between over pricing an item and making false statements regarding manufacturers suggested retail price, or making up a comparison price, to fraudulently create the appearance of a discount.

if i say my price is $100 for something its perfect legal to ask that price and perfectly legal for the buyer to decline to purchase it.

if I say its valued at $100 and offer a 90% discount to $10, but the rest of the world sells for $8, it's not really a discount and qualifies as an attempt to intentionally defraud the buyer.

also note its a civil case, not a criminal case, so while its not technically illegal, its d@mn well wrong and deceptive, which certainly violates some trade regulation somewhere.

Jerryb · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 444

Actually i find this totally amazing and serious with all the Calif legals on board - filed by seven Northern California district attorneys <--

not a case by a ticked off buyer. lol. This could be the item that makes the house of cards fall down? Will they and are they also looking at the shill bidding? Can you imagine if they got the US attorney General to start an investigation going back 6 years going over the bidding records of certain sellers (mostly Jewelry) on Overstock Auctions? How many 100's of thousands of $$ were illegally charged and taken from customers? we are not talking about petty theft!

Not sure if the Phony appraisal scam is still going on in the jewelry areas in the auction side but if so I assume they are looking at all and everything going on at the site. I mean filed by seven Northern California district attorneys.. they guys will be trying to outdo each other with charges is my opinion or at the very least stiring up conflict and passing info along to the US attorney General and the Utah one. California has a lot of clout when it comes to things like this.

in the appraisal scam i was mentioning numerous sellers were giving appraisals with items that they aquired via mail without ever sending the items for inspection or asertaining authenticity- and stating the prices they wanted on the appraisals. my guestimate was the appraisals were for 300-500 times actual value. These were offered by sellers of jewelry in the auction format. I and the other sellers complained for years. overstock ignored us. Interesting to see if all the district attorneys get anywhere with this company.. i'm betting they do and quickly. lol. the PR alone is Horrid.

Jerryb · Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 444

""$15 million false advertising lawsuit ....According to the filings, “Overstock allegedly advertised a patio set $449.99 and claimed that the ‘List Price’ for the set was $999. But the furniture arrived with a Wal-Mart sticker showing the price to be $247.” wallmart later reduced to $218. Overstock is being accused of fabricating “list prices” and “compare at prices.” ---Justicenewsflash.com""

The district attorneys listed in the suit represent Alameda, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Shasta and Sonoma counties in California.

lets see wallmart- $218 or Overstock $449. I wonder if wallmart drop shipped it to the overstock customer? :-)

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

Its those space aliens again...they forced Byrne to do it ;-)

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17240 Location: Texas

Patty00 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Its those space aliens again...they forced Byrne to do it ;-)

You mean Sith Lord????? :lol:

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

elgato wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")
Patty00 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Its those space aliens again...they forced Byrne to do it ;-)

You mean Sith Lord????? :lol:

LOL you remember years ago when Byrne said space aliens were after him? This could be it! They are sabotaging his business ;-)