Letsbuyit.com, the online group shopping club for bargain-hungry people with too much time on their hands, is "excessively alluring", according to a Cologne court.

It ruled last week that Letsbuyit.com broke German competition rules by "turning the transaction into a game". This tricks shoppers. Apparently.

Letsbuyit.com said it would appeal. Too right - does the judge who made this ruling have any idea what "games" and "allure" really mean?

In our book, the Letsbuyit.com business proposition revolves around "flawed", "very flawed" and now (in Germany) "illegal".

Incidentally, we lifted the story and the quotes from The Industry Standard Europe - launch issue on the newsstands this week, and very good it is too (we know it's good because it has an Ideas Editor and a battery of talented journalists who used to work on national newspapers).

Bloat

At least The Industry Standard is expanding- unlike rival US-owned rag Red Herring, which yesterday fired 25 staff - seven per cent of the workforce - citing disappointing online ad sales. ®

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