PRESS RELEASE: Australian businesses at risk by overseas tech giant
Australian businesses at risk
by overseas tech giant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Melbourne, Victoria – 24 April 2020 – Australian businesses on the Shopify e-commerce platform woke up this morning to find products removed from their online stores.
In sweeping changes aimed at preventing price gouging, the Canadian multinational e-commerce company systematically took down key products from business websites across the world.
Shopify has more than 1 million businesses in approximately 175 countries using its platform with total turnover exceeding $50 billion a year. Taking down products could cost Australian businesses millions of dollars.
Products were deleted from Shopify Stores, Google Shopping, Facebook Shops and Instagram without prior warning. Australia’s leading workplace first aid and safety company Brenniston had 10 National Standard workplace first aid kits deleted from its website on Friday morning.
Brenniston Managing Director Michael Boltman said there was no consultation, no review and no warning.
“At 5.40am Shopify stopped us selling our Australian workplace first aid kits,” he said. “It’s baffling, unnecessary and dangerous. It means Australian business can’t get the workplace kits they need.”
Mr Boltman said Shopify gave no explanation other than a blanket statement about taking down the products because they were automatically identified as high-demand items related to the coronavirus pandemic, such as face masks or hand sanitisers, that might be listed at excessive prices.
The Brenniston National Standard Food Handling Waterproof First Aid Kit has almost 300 items, one of which is a 70ml bottle of hand sanitiser.
“The cost of that industrial first aid kit is $325, however we suspect Shopify’s algorithm interpreted that to be the price of the sanitiser alone. None of our first aid kits’ prices have changed at any time during the pandemic, let alone in the past 10 months,” Mr Boltman said.
All Brenniston National Standard workplace first aid kits are proudly designed, produced and assembled on-site at the company’s Melbourne premises for Australian conditions.
“We uphold Australian standards by sourcing superior, innovative and standards-approved products, prioritising quality over price,” he said.
“Where possible we source Australian-made products and services.”
Brenniston is the trusted workplace first aid supplier to governments, industry, retail, hospitality and emergency services.
About Brenniston: In 2013, Brenniston set the benchmark in workplace first aid kit quality and compliance with the introduction of the Brenniston National Standard. It’s just one of many innovations in its 47-year history of making work a safer place for all Australians. To learn more visit brenniston.com.au
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Contact Information:
Pia Abrahams
0438 850 077
[email protected]
