Marketplace Pulse reported in February that Amazon sellers are paying as much as 50% of their revenue to Amazon in fees, a point that is echoed in the FTC's suit.
"Amazon also recognizes that sellers believe 'that it has become more difficult over time to be profitable on Amazon,'" the FTC filing reads.
According to the filing, Amazon's ads reach 96% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 each month.
"According to an internal Amazon study, Amazon's sellers live 'in constant fear' of Amazon arbitrarily interfering with their ability to sell on Amazon, which 'put[s] their businesses and livelihoods at risk,'" the complaint reads.
"When Amazon detects elsewhere online a product that is cheaper than a seller's offer for the same product on Amazon, Amazon punishes that seller," it reads.
Persons:
David Zapolsky, Zapolsky, Nessie, Douglas Farrar
Organizations:
Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Marketplace, Amazon, Amazon Prime