Illegal products sold on Amazon [Crew Review]

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Hey Reader,

Amazon has been dealing with the FTC for a while, but now, it’s in hot water with another government agency—the FCC.

After NBC News reported that there are sellers making radio jammers available online, the Federal Communications Commission stepped in and investigated. It found that some platforms, including Amazon, have allowed the trade of these outlawed products.



Radio jammers can be used to interfere with radio signals and nearby electronics. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, prohibits the use and sale of these jammers. Amazon could potentially get in trouble for violating Section 302(b) of the Act.

Shortly after the report was released, all listings involving radio jammers have been removed from Amazon. The company says it continuously monitors the site for banned or illegal products but provided no explanation as to how multiple sellers were able to list the prohibited items when it clearly violates its Terms of Service.

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Temu Is Doing Well

PDD Holdings, Temu’s parent company, surpassed fourth-quarter revenue estimates by Wall Street. The holidays and year-end festivals in China contributed to the promising numbers.  

The company’s revenue reached ¥88.8 billion, which is significantly more than analysts’ expected ¥79.23 billion.

This shows that PDD Holdings is growing, especially now that it is slowly becoming a household name in the United States. Customers are drawn to its very low prices, allowing them to “shop like a billionaire.”

Last year, Temu surpassed Amazon as the most downloaded free app in the US. And before the year ended, PDD Holdings dethroned Alibaba as China’s most valuable e-commerce company.

The coast isn’t clear for the China-based e-commerce company, however. As it continues to grow, it stands to attract the attention of US government officials. We won’t be surprised if Temu’s CEO will stand face-to-face with US senators in the future.

Etc.

Enhanced security? Amazon is requiring a two-factor authentication when sellers log in to Seller Central. Some of you might be thinking, “This isn’t new. I’ve been doing it for a long time.” Turns out it was only optional before. 

Digital Markets Act. The DMA has recently been enforced in the EU, and it seems like it’s targeting Big Tech companies.

GoTo shares drop. Indonesia’s biggest tech company experienced a $5.75 billion loss after a goodwill writedown following its announcement that TikTok will acquire Tokopedia.