That's right. Consumers have gone to the Internet in search of better deals and online retailers are giving it to them. Now, since some who use the Internet to sell products have found ways to increase efficiencies, reduce supply chain costs and make a profit by selling for way less, the U.S. Senate, responding to manufacturer complaints, is considering a bill related to fixed pricing.
The problem, if you're a big name manufacturer, is that some online sellers have innovated to the extent that they can offer a pricing model that turns MSRPs upside down. If you sell enough Gucci handbags at 40% off, this starts to change the retail value of Gucci handbags in the minds of consumers. Retail forums like eBay are a perfect example of this. As manufacturers attempt to control pricing and manage consumer values, some merchants are going so low that pricing alone is causing accusations of counterfeiting.
Of course, there is a line separating manufacturer pricing policies and Antitrust, but it's nearly impossible, especially for smaller retailers, to show that certain agreed upon manufacturer minimum pricing policies are illegal.
