Minneapolis – Best Buy is making a
federal case out of Ultimate Electronics’ claim of lower prices.
According to a report in the
Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, Best Buy is suing the Thornton,
Colo.-based chain in the U.S.
district court here over ads that say its prices are lower.
The ads, which were submitted in the
suit, state that Ultimate Electronics shops Best Buy and Walmart daily and
adjusts its prices accordingly in order to offer customers the lowest retails.
Best Buy’s attorneys said the claims
are untrue, and that Ultimate’s prices are often higher than those at the No. 1
CE chain.
Best Buy initially asked the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ National
Advertising division (NAD) to arbitrate the dispute but Ultimate would not
cooperate, prompting the suit which alleges violations of state and federal
trade laws.
Best Buy is seeking damages and a court order for Ultimate to drop the
claims and destroy the ads. Ultimate has not yet filed a response to the suit.
