Dive Brief:
- Amazon is facing a suit by the Federal Trade Commission over in-app purchases by kids. It declined a settlement over a similar issue between the FTC and Apple, after consumers faced big bills when their children played games that incurred charges.
- Meanwhile, the e-retailer has skirted a month-old French lawagainst free shipping by booksellers by charging just a penny. The French government has been vigilant about protecting booksellers by cracking down on low prices by online retailers.
- And the company has formally asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to fly delivery drones around Seattle skies as a test of its planned program. The FAA recently announced proposed rules that would ban commercial aircraft like the Amazon drones.
Dive Insight:
Amazon these days is dealing with more than irate authors and customers in its publishing dispute; last week showed that it is being stymied by regulators in more than one country. It’s hard to know where the drones will go, but the e-retailer seems bent on hanging on to its advantages no matter the issue.
Date: July 14, 2014