"Sales at a loss". This is the name of Cdiscount's new sales operation launched on August 5. A slogan that has not failed to appeal to Internet users, a number of people having insisted on social networks that this process is prohibited by law. This is correct, except in seven cases identified by the Commercial Code, including balances. "Sales which are accompanied or preceded by advertising and are advertised as tending, through a reduction in price, to the accelerated flow of goods in stock " are authorized, it is written. Outside the sales period, on the other hand, the sale at a loss is punishable by a fine of 75,000 euros maximum for the natural person and 375,000 euros maximum for the legal person. A penalty to which Cdiscount is therefore not exposed.
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Another element has been noted by Internet users: a certain number of crossed out prices, supposed to highlight the good deal made by the consumer, can indeed seem abnormally high, with amounts displayed much higher than market prices. For example, a Mario Kart game for Nintendo Switch sold by Cdiscount was officially sold at 44 euros instead of ... 360 euros. But on the official Nintendo store, this game costs only 59 euros. When contacted, the site explains that this reference price was the result of a bug and that it has since been corrected.
However, another ad from Cdiscount, offering a Canon EOS 2000D camera with lens for 359 euros instead of 557 euros, has not been removed. However, the Canon online store offers the same product at a much lower price of 449 euros. This reference price, from which the percentage of the reduction is calculated, is freely set by the advertiser. However, the Consumer Code clearly specifies that a commercial practice is misleading “ when it is based on false or misleading claims, indications or presentations and relating to one or more of the following elements: [ …] The price or the method of calculating the price, the promotional nature of the price and the conditions of sale, payment and delivery of the good or service. "
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When contacted, Cdiscount formally denies having adopted a fraudulent practice: “ we endeavor to register completely in accordance with the applicable regulations; the new price must be calculated from a reference price which cannot exceed the lowest price practiced on our site during the 30 days preceding the start of the sales. In other words, if the lowest price at which a product was sold on the site in the 30 days preceding the sales was, for example, 400 euros, then this figure will appear crossed out and will allow the percentage to be calculated. reduction. Regarding the camera, " the reference price indicated is indeed the lowest price charged by Cdiscount in the previous 30 days ", defends the site. To justify the difference with the official Canon store, the platform replies that it is “ possible that this price has fluctuated in recent weeks. "
Another example of a sale, so "at a loss" that it becomes incomprehensible, this pair of sneakers at the reference price of 55 euros sold ... 0.1 euro cent. This Friday, the price was finally reassessed to 13 euros. Bug corrected or voluntary act? Difficult to know, because this product is one of many to be offered on Cdiscount by resellers. Because the e-commerce site does not only sell in its name, it is also a host for around 12,000 outside sellers. However, Cdiscount cannot impose a price on these, which is prohibited by the Commercial Code. Resellers are therefore free to apply the reference prices and sale prices of their choice. The site is not responsible for it. However, " if a problem is reported by a third party on the product sheet, we report the information to the seller ", specifies Cdiscount. None of the dealers contacted responded to the Figaro's questions .
Sneakers sold at 0.01 euro cent instead of 55 euros; Cdiscount screenshot
