DigiDirect fined $99,000 for misleading discount advertising

Electronics retailer Digital Imaging Express, trading as DigiDirect, has been fined $99,000 following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) into misleading advertising practices.

The ACCC found that the retailer used “strikethrough prices” to suggest significant discounts on products that had never actually been sold at the higher listed prices. ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh stated that these illusory discounts may have misled consumers and prevented them from accurately comparing prices with competitors.

As part of a section 87b undertaking, DigiDirect has admitted to breaching Australian Consumer Law. The settlement requires the company to pay the fine, remove the affected products from sale, and publish a corrective notice on its website. The undertaking will remain in effect for three years.