The state of California is accusing Amazon of a price-fixing scheme that pushes wholesale vendors to raise prices at competing stores like Target, Walmart, Chewy, and Best Buy. And the state says, after the discovery process, it now has receipts to prove it. The case centers on several email exchanges between Amazon vendor managers and brands like Levi’s, GlobalOne, Hanes, and Scotts Miracle-Gro.
Business Insider obtained the full case file and reviewed hundreds of pages of documents and over a dozen email exchanges to investigate if Amazon uses its influence as the largest e-commerce company in the United States to compel vendors to raise prices at competing retailers. We also spoke with several third-party sellers, like the inventors of the Bed Scrunchie, who say they, too, are pressured by Amazon to raise prices at other retailers.
So, has Amazon become too big and powerful? And is it possible the company is using its power to drive up prices everywhere?
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