Consumers looking for electronics, RTV equipment or household appliances optimize their decisions by using sales platforms such as Allegro, which allow instant comparison of hundreds of offers.
Virtual warehouses versus market algorithms
On this digital ring, entrepreneurs compete not only on price, but primarily on logistics and delivery time.
Every seller on Allegro must specify the number of available items and declare the shipping date. For the modern consumer, information about express shipment is a key decision factor.
Neonet knew this well and, through its account (previously operating under the name NEO‑24), decided to bend these rules. Instead of a modern AI‑based approach and real data analytics, the chain relied on unsubstantiated promises to artificially inflate its positions in search results.
See also: The carrier conspiracy and network giant led to workplace pathology? UOKiK intervened with a control.
Ghost in the cart, or hunting for a customer
Instead of reliable ERP system synchronization with the offer, Neonet sold products it physically did not have in stock. The UOKiK president showed that the company systematically misled consumers. Customers, lured by assurances of shipping within 24 hours, transferred funds and waited.
The reality was brutal – instead of a courier at the door, they faced a logistical void. If we were dealing with software glitches, it could be considered a workplace accident. Here, however, systematic ignoring of warehouse realities became a permanent strategy.
Frustrated customers quickly flooded the company's Allegro profile with negative comments. One user wrote: “After 5 days from purchase I received information that they had no fridge in stock (delivery was supposed to be within 24h).”
Another customer summed up the transaction bluntly: “No goods – which turned out 2 weeks after purchase. I had to buy elsewhere at a higher price. A failure, such a store.” There were also reviews exposing the company’s mechanism: “They list goods they don’t have. Contact is very delayed regarding problem resolution.”
See also: Dino’s shares on a 28% discount. UOKiK strikes the giant! Working conditions in the network under scrutiny.
Communication blackout and e‑store silence
In a professionally managed e‑commerce business, mistakes happen. The key is immediate reaction. When the system fails, the entrepreneur should inform the customer without delay, allowing them to quickly change plans or get a refund. Neonet chose a strategy of deep silence. Instead of proactive contact from the store, buyers had to inquire themselves about their orders.
Responses were awaited for days, even weeks. Only then did consumers learn that the goods were not in stock, and a new delivery date was unknown. Worse, the UOKiK proceedings proved that this chaos was not a momentary anomaly.
The procedure was repeatable and continued uninterrupted for at least from 2021. Four years of ignoring customers is an entire era in the tech world – enough time to implement advanced automation tools and fix every system error.
Transparency lacked its finale in the office of the UOKiK president. The office imposed a financial penalty on Neonet of 3,043,000 PLN. In setting this blow, the regulator considered the turnover achieved by the company on the Allegro platform, which constituted a significant fraction of its revenues. The decision requires immediate cessation of unfair practices and publication of the decision text on the company’s websites and social media profiles.
Although the decision is not final and can be appealed, the reputational and market cost of this affair is gigantic.
See also: The carrier conspiracy and network giant led to workplace pathology? UOKiK intervened with a control.
Source: UOKiK
