{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-blumenthal-and-eshoo-renew-push-against-misleading-practices-by-outlet-stores", "Whitehouse, Blumenthal & Eshoo Renew Push Against Misleading Practices by Outlet Stores", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.04.14\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Blumenthal & Eshoo Renew Push Against Misleading Practices by Outlet Stores \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 With the holiday shopping season upon us, three Members of Congress are renewing their call for action against misleading marketing practices by outlet stores across the United States.\u00a0 In a letter sent today to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) expressed their \u201ccontinued concern regarding the use of deceptive reference pricing practices at both online and brick-and-mortar outlet stores.\u201d\r\nThe Members first wrote to Ramirez in January, urging the agency to look into claims that merchants may be selling lower quality items produced specifically for outlet stores without properly informing consumers about the difference between those items and higher-quality products found in regular retail stores.\u00a0 Following the January letter, the FTC published this blog post providing tips to consumers.\u00a0 Today\u2019s letter follows up on the Members\u2019 initial request.\r\n\u201cWhile we recognize that outlet and off-price stores can benefit consumers by providing access to lower-cost merchandise, they should not do so through deceptive pricing practices.\u00a0 The FTC is obligated to protect consumers by ensuring that retailers present truthful and accurate information regarding the merchandise they sell,\u201d they wrote today.\u00a0 \u201cWith the holiday season upon us, and in light of recent lawsuits, we respectfully request an update of the work the FTC is doing to combat deceptive practices at outlet and off-price stores.\u201d\r\nThe full text of the letter is below.\r\n-------------------------------\r\nDecember 04, 2014  The Honorable Edith Ramirez  Chairwoman  Federal Trade Commission  600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\r\nDear Chairwoman Ramirez:\r\nAs consumers begin their holiday shopping season, we write to express our continued concern regarding the use of deceptive reference pricing practices at both online and brick-and-mortar outlet stores.\r\nWe first wrote to you about unfair practices at outlet stores on January 30, 2014. Since then, at least eleven class action lawsuits alleging deceptive pricing policies have been filed against seven different retailers. While we do not comment on the merits of the individual cases, we believe these allegations warrant the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s (FTC) attention.\r\nAt least one retailer has already been found guilty of fraudulent and misleading practices. In August, a California court, in the case of the People of California v. Overstock.com, ordered the online off-price retailer Overstock.com to pay $6.8 million in civil penalties for violating state consumer protection statutes regarding false advertising and unlawful business practices. The court concluded, \u201cOverstock has consistently used [advertised reference prices] in a manner designed to overstate the amount of savings to be enjoyed by shopping on the Overstock site.\u201d\r\nCurrently, many retailers sell different lines of goods at retail mall stores and outlet mall stores.\u00a0 For a hypothetical example, a better known \u201cQuality Clothes, Inc.\u201d with stores in retail malls might have sister stores at outlet malls using the label \u201cQuality Clothes Factory, Inc.\u201d\u00a0 These similar names can obscure the fact that the vast majority of merchandise sold at most outlet stores was manufactured specifically for outlet sales.\u00a0 Customers are too often unaware that the merchandise for sale in outlet stores is of a lower quality than similar goods sold by affiliated retail store brands.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nTo make matters worse, outlet stores commonly list \u201creference prices\u201d on their price tags\u2014numbers that suggests they are selling merchandise at a discount.\u00a0 Often a reference price is listed as a \u201cretail price\u201d even though the good was manufactured specifically for the outlet and was never sold at the purported \u201cretail price.\u201d By citing a \u201cretail price\u201d ungrounded in fact, outlet sellers may suggest they offer better deals than they do. We continue to believe that these practices may be a violation of the FTC\u2019s Guides Against Deceptive Pricing (16 CFR 233).\r\nWhile we recognize that outlet and off-price stores can benefit consumers by providing access to lower-cost merchandise, they should not do so through deceptive pricing practices. The FTC is obligated to protect consumers by ensuring that retailers present truthful and accurate information regarding the merchandise they sell.\r\nWith the holiday season upon us, and in light of recent lawsuits, we respectfully request an update of the work the FTC is doing to combat deceptive practices at outlet and off-price stores.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSen. Richard Blumenthal\r\nSen. Sheldon Whitehouse\r\nRep. Anna Eshoo\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-blumenthal-and-eshoo-renew-push-against-misleading-practices-by-outlet-stores"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9232258200645447, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}