Amazon has always been strict on certain products and specific words or phrases that products can use. Over the last few years, that has only become more true. Hemp products for example, have very strict language requirements as far as what they can and cannot say within product listings. Today, Amazon is fighting a new battle within its product listings, products that claim to defend or cure the coronavirus.
According to Reuters, Amazon has banned over one million products over the past few weeks because they inaccurately claimed that they could defend against or cure the coronavirus. Amazon has also taken steps to remove tens of thousands of deals where sellers are trying to price gouge customers on related items. This includes items like face masks, hand sanitizer antibacterial wipes. As an example, a single cloth N95 face mask is selling for $30.99 compared to a week ago, the same mask was selling for only $25.99. Another 7-count mask product listing jumped from $19.95 to $29.99 from a week ago.
An Amazon statement from Reuters:
“There is no place for price gouging on Amazon,” a spokeswoman said in a statement, citing the company’s policy that product information must be accurate and that Amazon can take down offers that hurt customer trust, including when pricing “is significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon.”
While we don’t know what Amazon’s idea of price gouging is, they are clearly working on it through automated and manual listing reviews.
