Go to Wolters Kluwer VitalLaw.comGo to Wolters Kluwer VitalLaw.com
VitalLaw®
  • Find answers to your questions
  • Log in to access your subscriptions
In depth. On point.
In depth. On point.
  • Home
  • Legal Directory
  • Home
  • Legal Directory
In depth. On point.
  • Articles
    • Articles
  • Law Firms
    • Law Firms
  • Organizations
    • Organizations
    • TOP STORY: Two more guilty pleas entered in Georgia real estate auction bidding probe
    • ADVERTISING—N.D. Cal.: False ad, deceptive practices claims involving Cheerios Protein proceed
    • ANTITRUST NEWS: AAI releases sixth paper in report on antitrust, entrepreneurship
    • ANTITRUST NEWS: EC investigates proposed merger between Dow, DuPont
    • ANTITRUST NEWS: FTC, Antitrust Division seek comments on updated IP Licensing Guidelines
    • ANTITRUST NEWS: Online retailer pleads guilty for conspiring to fix wall poster prices
    • ANTITRUST—D.N.J.: BMW not liable for alleged monopoly over fuel injectors
    • ANTITRUST—N.D. Ill.: Consumer protection claims proceed in Opana ER pay-for-delay suit
    • ANTITRUST—S.D.N.Y.: No viable conspiracy, manipulation claims for wholly foreign FX transactions
    • FRANCHISING & DISTRIBUTION—D. N.J.: Days Inn awarded default judgment against former franchisee
    • RICO—11th Cir.: PSLRA barred RICO claims of Ponzi scheme victims
  • Articles
    • Articles
  • Law Firms
    • Law Firms
  • Organizations
    • Organizations

    Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ANTITRUST NEWS: Online retailer pleads guilty for conspiring to fix wall poster prices, (Aug 12, 2016)

    Organizations Mentioned:Trod Ltd.

    By Greg Hammond, J.D.

    Trod Ltd. has pleaded guilty to Department of Justice Antitrust Division charges that the company engaged in a price fixing conspiracy in the online wall décor industry through the use of algorithm-based pricing software (U.S. v. Aston, Criminal No. ...

    By Greg Hammond, J.D.

    Trod Ltd. has pleaded guilty to Department of Justice Antitrust Division charges that the company engaged in a price fixing conspiracy in the online wall décor industry through the use of algorithm-based pricing software (U.S. v. Aston, Criminal No. 3:15-cr-00419-WHO).

    According to the indictment, between September 2013 and January 2014, Trod and executive William Aston participated in a conspiracy to fix the prices of certain posters sold online through Amazon.com, Inc.’s Amazon Marketplace. They allegedly used commercially-available algorithm-based pricing software to set the prices. The software collected competitor pricing information for a specific product and applied certain pricing rules. In addition, the defendants allegedly discussed poster prices with co-conspirators and agreed to adopt specific pricing algorithms with the goal of coordinating prices.

    "E-commerce is among the fastest growing segments of our economy," commented Acting Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse for the Antitrust Division. "For this robust growth to continue, customers must be confident that they will receive the same benefits of vigorous competition on the web as they do at brick-and-mortar stores. We will continue to ensure that happens by investigating and prosecuting schemes that harm online shoppers."

    U.K. investigation. Trod, a U.K. company based in Birmingham, England, faced a similar investigation by the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority. Trod admitted to agreeing with one of its competing online sellers—GB Eye Limited—that they would not undercut each other’s prices for posters and frames sold on Amazon’s U.K. website. This agreement was implemented by using automated re-pricing software, which the parties each configured to give effect to the illegal cartel. Trod agreed to accept a fine of £163,371.

    Companies: Trod Ltd.

    News: Antitrust AntitrustDivisionNews

    © 2026 CCH Incorporated and its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.

    • Manage Cookie Preferences
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Use