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Amazon Dash Buttons Ruled Illegal In Germany (gizmodo.com)
Amazon Dash buttons have been ruled illegal in Germany for making it too easy to buy Amazon products. Germany consumer advocacy group, Verbraucherzentrale NRW, "complained that Amazon's terms enable the company to switch out an ordered product with something else, and the buttons break laws protecting shoppers from buying things they are not fully informed about," reports Gizmodo. From the report: At first the wifi-connected buttons enabled users to quickly buy basic home goods and groceries -- like detergent, paper towels, macaroni and cheese, and bottled water. But Amazon has since added dozens more, from Slim Jims to Red Bull to Calvin Kline underwear. "We are always open to innovation. But if innovation means that the consumer is put at a disadvantage and price comparisons are made difficult then we fight that," Wolfgang Schuldzinski, leader of Verbraucherzentrale NRW, said to in a public statement.
The Munich court has sided with the organization, and ruled that the Dash buttons break consumer protection rules. The Verbraucherzentrale NRW statement suggests Amazon can't appeal the decision. But an Amazon spokesperson told Gizmodo that the company believes the button and its app don't violate German law, and Amazon is going to appeal. "The decision is not only against innovation, it also prevents customers from making an informed choice for themselves about whether a service like Dash Button is a convenient way for them to shop," the spokesperson said.
The Munich court has sided with the organization, and ruled that the Dash buttons break consumer protection rules. The Verbraucherzentrale NRW statement suggests Amazon can't appeal the decision. But an Amazon spokesperson told Gizmodo that the company believes the button and its app don't violate German law, and Amazon is going to appeal. "The decision is not only against innovation, it also prevents customers from making an informed choice for themselves about whether a service like Dash Button is a convenient way for them to shop," the spokesperson said.
The authors formulation suggests that he thinks Amazon's dash was just "making it easy" for people to buy stuff. The same could be said about the noble gambling industry, which also only makes it as easy as possible for people to give away their money. And yet, regulations regarding such "offers" exist in most parts of the world.
If you need a dash button there's something seriously wrong with you.
What you missed is that Europe has strong laws for "distance selling", i.e. buying stuff on the internet.
In a physical shop you can see and examine the goods. On the internet all you get is a stock photo of the item and a promise that it will match the description. If it doesn't you can return it. I'm not sure about Germany but in the UK you have 2 weeks to change your mind and Amazon pays the return postage. You only need return the item, self-destructing packaging etc doesn't get them off the hook.
It goes further than that though. In this case the problem is that by pressing the Dash button you indicate you want a particular item at a particular price you were offered once. Amazon can substitute whatever it likes for that item and charge you whatever price it has today. Amazon abuses that by slowly ramping up prices and substituting inferior stuff.
The ruling is basically saying that Amazon needs to stop altering the deal after the customer has accepted it. They could probably fix it just by emailing the customer with price changes and subs ahead of time, with a 24 hour grace period for people who pushed the button before seeing the mail.
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SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC