The Authority for Customers and Markets (ACM), the Dutch authority chargeable for shopper safety and truthful competitors, introduced on Wednesday that it has initiated an investigation right into a Dutch on-line retailer Bol, after receiving complaints from a number of companies.
Based on ACM, a number of corporations have voiced issues about their choices receiving much less visibility on the platform regardless of providing the perfect costs/ high quality.
Moreover, there are indications that Bol could also be leveraging information from companies to strengthen its place throughout the market.
The investigation
The ACM’s investigation goals to find out whether or not the web platform violates any legal guidelines or laws.
If the ACM concludes that the Dutch platform has certainly violated the legislation, it might impose penalties comparable to fines or injunctions.
As digital markets proceed to form our society, the ACM is dedicated to making sure their correct functioning.
Bol’s reply
In a reply to ACM’s questions, Bol says, “It goes with out saying that we’ll totally cooperate with the ACM investigation. Our colleagues are working onerous to offer the supervisor with all the mandatory data to make sure the investigation runs easily.”
“We imagine it will be important that the ACM ensures that on-line platforms take accountability for a dependable on-line surroundings. For us, the connection with our gross sales companions is extraordinarily essential. We’re at all times searching for methods to enhance our platform and stay up for the analysis with confidence.”
Launched in 1999, Bol.com claims to be the most important on-line retail platform within the Benelux that gives books, leisure, digital gadgets, and toys for its purchasers.
Greater than twenty years later, the store boasts 13 million energetic customers within the Netherlands and Belgium, a 35 million-item product selection, and 52,000 gross sales companions that promote their items by way of the Bol.com platform.
ACM’s objective for 2024
One of many ACM’s strategic objectives for 2024 is to stimulate an open and truthful digital financial system that advantages companies and customers based mostly on guidelines that shield competitors and shopper rights.
To realize this, the ACM is getting ready to implement numerous digital laws as soon as the authorized framework is established, together with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Digital Providers Act (DSA), and the Platform-to-Enterprise Regulation (P2B).