An Amazon seller complained to lawmakers Thursday, February 11, of unfair forced arbitration clauses the platform uses to prevent potentially damaging outcomes in court, reported CNBC.
Jacob Weiss, founder and president of home goods retailer OJ Commerce, told the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust that he, like many other e-commerce business owners, relies on Amazon to survive. Because of Amazon’s huge presence in the online shopping market, small sellers have frequently said they feel dependent on the platform to drive sales.
Weiss said that gave him “no choice” but to sign Amazon’s contract allowing him to sell on its platform, which included a forced arbitration clause that also prevented him from bringing class-action cases against the company.
“Amazon’s forced arbitration clauses have made it impossible to get a fair shake,” Weiss told the subcommittee. “The system is rigged against small- to mid-sized online business owners.”
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
