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Amazon must face an antitrust suit filed by the US Federal Trade Commission over its online marketplace, but a federal judge dismissed some of the agency’s claims tied to state consumer protection laws.
In a decision unsealed Monday, US District Judge John Chun in Seattle said federal antitrust enforcers offered enough evidence in their complaint that Amazon’s business practices harm competition.
While Amazon said that its practices are justified, “those arguments are inapt at this stage,” Chun said.
However, Chun agreed to dismiss some claims against the company based on state consumer protection laws.
The FTC sued Amazon last year accusing the e-commerce giant of monopolising online marketplace services by degrading quality for shoppers and overcharging sellers, part of a broader agency challenge of the power of big technology companies. The Seattle-based company asked Chun to throw out the complaint, arguing that the agency failed to prove that the online retailer’s practices hurt consumers.
Chun rejected Amazon’s request last week in a sealed opinion. In the decision unsealed Monday, Chun said a trial scheduled for 2026 will focus on whether Amazon’s conduct violates the law and he will hold a second proceeding later, if needed, on any potential remedies.
By Leah Nylen
Learn more:
US Antitrust Regulator Plans to Targets Amazon’s Online Marketplace
The main allegation by the US Federal Trade Commission is expected to be that Amazon uses its power to reward those online merchants that use its logistics services and punish the ones that don’t.
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