How Amazon increased its price
on an ice-cream maker

1

A Maxi-Matic ice-cream maker is listed at a lower price at Best Buy.

Best Buy
$17.99
Product photo of ice-cream maker
Amazon
$59.99
Product photo of ice-cream maker

2

Amazon freezes sales after a price drop to $17.99 to match Best Buy causes them to lose money. Amazon tells Maxi-Matic that it could make a "straight payment" to bring it back "live".

3

Maxi-Matic responds by taking its inventory away from Best Buy and offering Amazon 90 days exclusivity.

4

Amazon returned the ice-cream maker to the site and raised the price.

Best Buy
Out of stock
Product photo of ice-cream maker
Amazon
$59.99
Product photo of ice-cream maker

Guardian graphic. Source: Emails from pending litigation from the California attorney general's office. Product image: Amazon. Note: Amazon says its practices help consumers.