Federal Court proceedings have been initiated against Dell Australia by The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for allegedly making false or misleading representations about the cost of add-on monitors at checkout.

The regulator has alleged that the US technology company made fraudulent representations about the prices of monitors on its website and the “potential savings” involved.

Between August 2019 and December 16 last year, customers who bought a Dell desktop, laptop, or notebook on the website were prompted to add on a monitor during checkout. A “strikethrough” figure was placed next to the monitor’s price representing a significant saving.

However, the monitors were not sold for the ‘strikethrough’ price and in some cases, the add-on price shown was higher than if the monitor were bought on an independent basis.

ACCC commissioner, Liza Carver, said the regulator alleges Dell Australia made “false, misleading or deceptive statements on its website to entice consumers” by displaying false or misleading discounts.

“These proceedings are significant because of the alleged misleading conduct related to the online marketing of computers and monitors at a time when many families were in Covid lockdown. We know that many consumers turned to online purchases to buy equipment for working and schooling from home.”

The regulator believes thousands of consumers were sold an add-on monitor advertised with an inflated discount applied.

“Businesses should be well aware of their legal requirements and should have effective compliance programs in place to prevent this type of consumer harm.”