Digital Imaging Express Pty Ltd, trading as digiDirect, has paid $99,000 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with five infringement notices for making allegedly misleading discount claims.
In a court-enforceable undertaking provided to the ACCC, digiDirect admitted that its discount claims were misleading, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.
digiDirect advertised certain electronic products on its website as being discounted from a higher price that was struck through, and used the words “price slashed”, when in fact these products were rarely advertised and almost never sold at the higher price.
One example was a mini wireless keyboard, which it advertised for $149 with a strikethrough price of $229. Other products included a camera, a camera and lens kit, and a Bluetooth remote control camera accessory.
“digiDirect’s advertising may have misled consumers into thinking they were getting a genuine discount when in reality the products were rarely advertised and almost never sold at the higher strikethrough price, and the suggested discount was illusory,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
“Misleading discount and savings claims can influence consumers to buy from a particular retailer because they are misled into believing they are getting a good deal, rather than shopping around to find a genuine discount or the best available price.”
The ACCC first became aware of digiDirect’s misleading strikethrough pricing during a sweep of retailers’ sales claims made during the Black Friday sales.
“All businesses should be on alert that the ACCC is actively monitoring for misleading pricing claims in the retail and supermarkets sectors, and we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against businesses who make misleading claims to consumers,” Mr Keogh said.
The ACCC has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from digiDirect in which it undertakes not to make misleading strikethrough discount claims and to implement a consumer law compliance program.
Example of digiDirect’s misleading strikethrough pricing that breached the Australian Consumer Law
Background
digiDirect sells photographic equipment and other electronic goods. It has an online store and seven physical stores located in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
digiDirect is part of the larger digiDirect Group which includes Australian businesses Booktopia, Mwave and James Bennett.
In June 2021, digiDirect paid $39,240 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with three infringement notices relating to misleading representations about ‘storewide’ sales.
Misleading pricing practices in the retail and supermarket sectors are an ACCC compliance and enforcement priority.
In 2024 and 2025, the ACCC conducted sweeps of sales claims made by retailers during the end of year sales periods, including the Black Friday and Boxing Day sales. As a result, the ACCC is continuing to investigate several retailers about the claims they made.
