2023-10-31 20:44:44
The online private sales site for major brands Showroomprivé indicated on Tuesday that it was contesting a fine of 1.3 million euros imposed in October by the Fraud Repression Agency (DGCCRF). It concerns “delays” in payment from its suppliers.
“Showroomprivé intends to exercise the remedies available to it by law against this sanction decision, which it considers to be excessive and disproportionate in view of the alleged facts, the period audited and the economic and financial situation of the company “, she reacted.
The DGCCRF carried out an investigation into facts dating back to 2020, between June and November, “during the Covid health crisis, which had strongly impacted the normal functioning of administrative services and the entire logistics chain of economic actors”, defended Showroomprivé. The brand considers the fine unjustified insofar as its “commercial practices are in line with the specificities of the online clearance activity and the deadlines are obviously determined in agreement with our partners,” she further declared. .
Brico Dépôt, Gifi, Veolia…
The DGCCRF has sanctioned numerous companies for this reason in recent weeks, imposing a fine of 1.1 million euros on Brico Dépôt on October 18, a fine of 660,000 euros on Gifi at the end of September, or even 1.6 million euros. euros to Veolia at the end of February and a 1 million euro fine to SFR, to name only the most significant amounts and the best-known economic players.
Payment deadlines between businesses are still too long in France and delays primarily penalize small businesses, regretted the Minister responsible for SMEs, Olivia Grégoire, in mid-June. The Observatory of payment deadlines noted on that date that only 40% of large companies pay on time, compared to three quarters of SMEs.
Concerning Showroomprivé, the group has already been sanctioned by the Fraud Repression this year, with a transactional fine of 600,000 euros this summer for “false promotions”.
The SRP group, owner of the Showroomprivé site, recorded a sharp drop in net profit in 2022 to 300,000 euros, for a turnover of 657.4 million euros. Showroomprivé employs more than 1,000 people in France and works with 3,000 partner brands.
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