<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Three major retailers have paid $19,800 each in fines for allegedly misrepresenting the nature of their Black Friday sales.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Michael Hill Jeweller, Hairhouse Warehouse Online and MyHouse parent company Global Retail Brands Australia were fined by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for allegedly making false and misleading representations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACCC undertook a sweep of dozens of sales advertisements for last year's Black Friday and post-Christmas sales events, which identified concerns the ads misrepresented the size and scope of discounts being offered to consumers.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gazania-daisies-new-la-trobe-university-research-prompts-renewed-push-to-ban-popular-plant-sold-at-nurseries-and-bunnings-warehouse-stores/e135013c-fd11-4600-a858-e81139c0f8e7" rel="" target="" title="Popular product sold in Australian nurseries and Bunnings poses risk, experts warn"><strong><span>Popular product sold in Australian nurseries and Bunnings poses risk, experts warn</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said the watchdog alleged these claims misled consumers about the nature of the sales.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Advertisements that talk about 'sitewide' or 'storewide' sales or promise discounts 'off everything' should deliver what customers expect, and not be used by retailers to hook consumers under false pretences," Lowe said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Businesses are legally obliged to accurately describe their sale offers and should not use small point disclaimers to terms and conditions to disguise the real extent of their offers.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/three-major-retailers-fined-almost-20000-for-allegedly-misrepresenting-black-friday-sales-offers/c13e5ff3-4dcb-4334-aeb1-c7a3aa087f6f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"During the EOFY sales, retailers should be aware that we will continue to keep an eye on sales promotions to ensure consumers are not being misled, and retailers may face enforcement action if they make sales representations that contravene the Australian Consumer Law."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bank-staff-catch-bizarre-red-flag-that-nearly-cost-woman-her-life-savings/0f5bc0e6-0002-4f5c-a1fa-973f5fba6519" target="_blank"><strong><span>Bank staff catch red flags that nearly cost woman her life savings</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACCC said Michael Hill's online advertisement promoted the sale with the words "Member Event 25% off Sitewide".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Michael Hill's statement may have misled consumers, and contravened the Australian Consumer Law, because some of the products in its online store were not part of the sale and were not discounted," Lowe said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, the ACCC has alleged MyHouse store's online Black Friday sale ad was misleading.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/lauren-tomasi-reporter-shot-in-los-angeles-foreign-minister-penny-wong-calls-it-awful/f3c7a937-c8f6-4f8d-9f71-fa925be2ec51" target="_blank"><strong><span>Wong slams 'awful' US police shooting of Aussie reporter</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ad displayed on the MyHouse website during the sale included a ribbon banner stating "Black Friday up to 60 per cent off sitewide + EXTRA 20% off" and a large headline graphic stating "Up to 60% OFF RRP EVERYTHING ON SALE" followed by the text "+EXTRA 20% OFF".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We say this was misleading because the extra 20 per cent discount was not available on all of its products," Lowe said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Retailers need to ensure that their advertising makes it clear to consumers which products are discounted, and by how much."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The watchdog fined Hairhouse Online for an online ad for its Black Friday sale with the statement: "SAVE 20% to 50% sitewide".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACCC considered the statement misled consumers that all items on its website would be discounted by between 20 and 50 per cent for the duration of the Black Friday sale, when in fact more than a quarter of the products on its website were not included in the sale offer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Businesses that make false discount claims not only risk misleading consumers, they also compete unfairly against other businesses which correctly state the nature of their sales," Lowe said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACCC said the payment of the penalty is not an admission of contravention of Australian consumer law.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Michael Hill Jeweller, Hairhouse Warehouse Online and Global Retail Brands Australia have been contacted for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>