back to article ACCC spikes gadget price-fix

Australia’s competition regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has politely declined a request by a retail buying group to set minimum prices on a bunch of electrical and electronic gadgets. In a draft decision issued late last week (January 17), the watchdog told National Associated Retail …

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  1. Denarius
    Holmes

    nothing new

    As Oz consumers pay more for gadgets and software because they can be charged more, not surprising that some PHBs "thought" formally enforcing minimum prices might be a good idea. That it wont work is not a consideration. ACCC seems to be looking after public good. As the current Depression grinds on, expect to see more firms amalgamate, go bust and just fold as one can only have so many gadgets.

  2. Steven Roper
    Mushroom

    Yes, it's different

    when the shoe's on the other foot isn't it?

    These same retailers and related businesses are all very happy to outsource all our bloody jobs to cheap overseas labour, but they scream stinking blue murder when consumers outsource their purchasing to cheap overseas retailers!

    What's good for the goose is good for the gander, you fucking hypocrites.

  3. Paul J Turner

    I hope

    That the likes of Kogan not only eat their lunch but their breakfast and dinner too.

    How the existence of such a price-fixing organisation and membership of it is not a serious crime amazes me.

  4. John Tserkezis

    Does anyone know who the members of NARTA are?

    The only names I could find that are listed are NRA partners: shopinsurance.com.au, Amex, and InTrust Super.

    So far, that has to barely scratch the surface.

    I just want to know who to boycot.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Does anyone know who the members of NARTA are?

      Thought this was a site for teccies...

      Six are listed in the article. For the rest, go to the NARTA website (first link in Google) and they're all displayed on the home page. Or if that doesn't work, click on the Retailer Locator link, then click on each state individually and all the members located in that state are listed.

      Do you need me to tie your shoelaces for you, too?

  5. xpusostomos

    Love the ACCC

    Love the ACCC. It's the only arm of government that whenever I read about them I think, hey they're actually doing something, and they're doing something good.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Dr. Dr. Help Me. My Brane Hurts.

    The consortium.....

    "It’s difficult to understand how a tacit agreement to keep prices high within Australia would revive their fortunes."

    After seeing what a bunch of underhanded, weak minded "fundamentally stupid people" my local "chamber of commerce" is composed of, the old "Shop Local" mantra has worn thin...

    A few of them will lie to your face, most of them back stab at every opportunity, some of them try to rip you off if they think you are not wise to them, and when one of them gets caught out giving lousy service or trying to bullshit their way into or out of something, they all band together to cover up for each other.... and then they get together at the monthly meetings to piss and moan that many people choose to shop elsewhere.

    Awwwwwwwww Tsk, Tsk, Tsk..... Aren't they just so hard done by.

    LOL- The Chamber of Commerce - stand up, yank the chain and walk out the door.

    The NARTA members engaging in price rigging?

    http://www.narta.com.au/aboutus.html

    About Us

    The National Associated Retail Traders of Australia was established in 1965 and is the largest independent electrical buying group in Australasia.

    With 32 members across Australia and 5 in New Zealand, the combined buying power of more than $3 Billion (AU) provides a group of strong generalist retailers to category dominant specialists delivering a wide range of products and services.

    Scam me? = Deal Breaker.

    1. John Angelico
      Headmaster

      Re: Dr. Dr. Help Me. My Brane Hurts.

      "back stab"

      Hmm, is that like "stabbing you in the back" but condensed to squeeze out all the correct grammar?

  7. Oddb0d
    Unhappy

    "Even the request seems odd to The Register."

    Really? Could it be that this article was based solely on the press release rather than the actual Draft Determination? [http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1080397/display/acccDecision] NARTA's reasoning is (rightly or wrongly) stated clearly along with why the ACCC does not accept it i.e. there is unlikely to be any net benefit to the public from allowing MAP.

    Many other articles on this subject have been written the same way i.e. press release regurgitation, but they are all a week old! What exactly is El Reg's excuse?

  8. Shane 4
    Megaphone

    Greedy F&#ks!

    It has got to the point here in Australia that about the only things I buy here now are food and petrol!

    Everything else can be bought online for cheaper sometimes 50% off and a lot of it even has free postage to go with it, People are fed up with the bullshit and it's not just us tech heads that have been doing this for a decade or more but now pretty much every citizen has caught on to online shopping.

    And next they want to change tax threshold for low value online goods, Well fuck you too all that will happen is you will see people joining groups and bulk buying imports instead of individual purchases, It's already starting to happen.

    My point is stop being greedy bastards and give us a fair price then we will start buying shit here again.

    tech/software industry is the worst, A top end graphics card a while back for example(690GTX) was $999 in US but here it is $1400 and our dollar is higher, What's that about 40% mark up, Don't even get me started on software that is even worse especially when you are talking about purchasing then downloading game online that has no reason for extra costs yet we are charged a crap load more.

  9. Paul J Turner

    @John Angelico

    Are you too young or too old to remember this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_Stabbers_%28song%29

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