Amazon Defends ‘Most Favored Nation’ Price Rules as Pro-Consumer

Amazon fired back in Seattle federal court at an antitrust challenge to its “most favored nation” policy, saying the rules help consumers by requiring lower prices on Amazon, rather than harming them by mandating higher prices elsewhere.

“The gravamen of plaintiffs’ complaint is that Amazon’s policies that encourage low prices in Amazon’s stores somehow constitute an antitrust violation,” the e-commerce giant says in court papers filed Monday. “The antitrust laws do not require Amazon to feature or sell products it knows are overpriced.”

The lawsuit accuses the mega-retailer of continuing to enforce de facto most favored nation ...