The way Amazon presents shipping charges to its customers has been deemed misleading, by the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which told the retailer it wasn’t being clear enough with its ads.
The decision was reached after a complaint, with regards to the way Amazon shows estimated shipping prices next to items. Amazon oftentimes highlights that items are “eligible for free UK delivery”, but customers have found that in fact many items are not. Some have been redirected to a new text saying “free Delivery in the UK on orders over £20”, but that wasn’t accurate either, as filling the cart above that minimum order still did not grant free delivery.
The problem stems from the fact that Amazon does not give away free deliveries on items not sold or fulfilled by Amazon directly, and the same goes for the minimum order issue. This fact is indeed explained on a secondary webpage, but that did not impress the ASA, which said Amazon was in the wrong.
According to the regulator the fact that Amazon plasters the “eligible for free UK delivery” on almost all items, means the company is misleading its customers. The ASA told Amazon to display the real delivery charge alongside products.
Amazon, for its part, only published a bland PR line: “We offer a wide range of delivery options and ensure that any charges are clearly visible so our customers can make an informed choice before they decide to make a purchase”.
Source: The Guardian | Amazon image via Shutterstock
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