Published: Thursday, 5/5/2011

Amazon.com says ads are not false, misleading

BLADE STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES

SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon.com Inc. is asking a judge to declare that the online retailer’s ads for discounted new and used college textbooks are neither false nor misleading, contrary to complaints by the trade association that represents college bookstores.

Amazon filed suit this week in Seattle federal court against the National Association of College Stores Inc., which represents more than 3,100 college stores.

It says in the suit that the group is “actively seeking” to limit Amazon’s ads that indicate students can save as much as 30 percent off the price on new textbooks and 90 percent on used ones by purchasing textbooks through Amazon.com.

Amazon is seeking a court declaration that the ads the group is challenging are not false or misleading in violation of the Lanham Act, which is legislation that forbids trademark infringement and false advertising.

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