Automated pricing glitch on Amazon UK causes retailers' losses

A technical glitch on Amazon's UK website led to the price of thousands of products crashing to 1p, leaving hundreds of small businesses out of pocket.

The glitch occurred between 7pm and 8pm on a Friday, and stemmed from software developed by Repricer Express which automatically changes the cost of third-party products on Amazon Marketplace to ensure they are the cheapest available.

The error mainly impacted small, independent companies, some of which expressed concerns about potential bankruptcy if they were forced to honor the 1p sales. Judith Blackford of Kiddymania, a seller on Amazon, claimed that she lost about GBP 20,000 overnight due to the glitch.

RepricerExpress CEO, Brendan Doherty, apologised for the distress caused to customers and assured that Amazon would not penalise sellers for this error. Despite requests to cancel the erroneous orders, some continued to be dispatched. 

The incident raised questions about accountability and the potential risks of relying on automated pricing tools.

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

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• https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/dec/14/amazon-glitch-prices-penny-repricerexpress

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