Tag: misleading

Two Singapore-based electronics and home appliance retailers, Courts and Prism+, are currently facing legal action. This action is being brought by the country’s consumer protection agency, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS), due to allegations of misleading online customers.

Alleged Misleading Practices

The CCS has determined that both Courts and Prism+ have violated trading laws. The retailers are accused of either charging consumers for items they did not select or implementing website features that falsely encourage immediate purchasing decisions.

In particular, Courts’ website was reported to automatically add certain items to consumers’ carts during promotional periods, without the shoppers’ approval. This practice risks consumers unintentionally paying for additional, unwanted items. An instance of this was when a consumer chose an Apple iPad for purchase, and an Acer vacuum cleaner was subsequently added to their cart without their knowledge.

Despite receiving customer complaints about these issues early last year, Courts did not amend their practices until the CCS intervened in June.

Generating False Urgency

In a separate investigation, the CCS discovered numerous design features on Prism+’s website that pressured customers into making rushed buying decisions.

The features identified included unauthentic countdown timers for product discounts, which would reset once they reached zero. Additionally, deceptive stock indicators were used, falsely stating that certain products were ‘running low’. Overstated discounts were also observed.

According to the CCS, these practices by Courts and Prism+ are considered to be unfair trade practices under Singapore’s fair trading laws.

Corrective Measures

Courts has pledged to immediately halt these deceptive practices, make adjustments to its website, and provide refunds to affected customers. Similarly, Prism+ has rectified its website’s issues and has promised not to engage in any unfair trade practices in the future.

“COURTS confirms that it had been contacted by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) regarding design features on its website that may have misled consumers.

The issue resulted from legacy marketing practices, which are aligned with COURTS’ promotions in its physical stores, where consumers were offered the option to purchase an additional item at a discounted rate after their purchase of an item.

After being made aware of the issue, COURTS had given an undertaking to CCS to cease this practice immediately. Following which, we have made changes to our website to rectify the issue and processed refunds to all affected customers.

COURTS had been working closely with CCS since June 2025 to resolve the issue. Since September 2025, the issue had been fully rectified, and we have not received any recent customer complaints. We have also reviewed our website thoroughly to ensure all information are accurately displayed, so as to deliver a transparent shopping experience for customers and to minimise confusion.

We regret the impact this incident may have had on our customers and are fully committed to enhancing our consumer protection policies to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”

Questions & Answers

What actions are Singapore-based retailers Courts and Prism+ facing?
They are facing legal action from the country’s consumer watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS), for allegedly misleading online customers.

What practices led to these legal actions?
Courts is accused of automatically adding items to consumers’ shopping carts without their consent, and Prism+ is alleged to have used various website features to pressure consumers into hasty purchases.

What measures are Courts and Prism+ taking in response to these allegations?
Courts has pledged to halt these practices, update its website, and refund affected customers. Prism+ has also committed to making necessary changes to its website and not engaging in any unfair trade practices in the future.