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Epson Files Lawsuits Against Amazon Projector Sellers for Misleading Advertising Claims

Highlights the need for using industry standard specs to better equip shoppers to make smart buying decisions.

Epson America is continuing efforts to protect the projector market from false brightness advertising and inaccurate information that misleads consumers and damages the entire projector industry, including the sales channel that supports it. In lawsuits filed against four projector brands sold on Amazon — Vankyo, WiMiUS, GooDee, and Bomaker —Epson is highlighting how advertising that does not use industry standard specifications can deceive shoppers, specifically the quoting of “lux” instead of lumens on projectors. Lux alone does not tell a consumer how bright an image will be on their screen. Lumens was adopted by the industry to provide consumers with a consistent way to compare actual projector performance. The lawsuit comes in advance of the holiday shopping season when consumers will be looking for new at-home solutions to stay entertained as cinemas nationwide had to shut their doors.

“We are seeing more connected households embrace big-screen viewing solutions than ever before,” says Mike Isgrig, vice president, consumer sales and marketing, Epson America, Inc. “As we enter the busy holiday season, we want to ensure that consumers are receiving the vital information needed to make informed purchasing decisions. Epson invests considerable time and money to ensure performance claims are based on industry standards, and we take it seriously when companies blatantly mislead consumers with non-standard specifications. This lawsuit underscores Epson’s commitment to support a fair marketplace and deter sellers and manufacturers who by misleading projector consumers, damage the credibility of the entire industry.”

As shoppers head into the holiday buying season, Epson aims to underscore the importance of understanding the specifications claimed and used in selling practices. Projector brightness, measured in lumens and tested according to industry standards, is the number one specification used by consumers in the purchase process to compare performance. Epson has worked diligently to ensure its projectors meet industry standards and that misleading public claims by other manufacturers are corrected. When brands, such as the four listed in the lawsuit, quote lux instead of lumens to deceive shoppers, the entire industry is hurt.

The methodology for measuring projector color brightness and, separately, white brightness are fully defined in international standards published by ISO/IEC and the ICDM in the IDMS. When these recognized standards are followed, there is zero ambiguity regarding how projectors are to be properly measured and compared for both white brightness and color brightness.  In 2018, Epson obtained a permanent injunction and damage award for $5 million as a result of its successful litigation against iRulu for falsely advertising lumens ratings. In 2019, Epson reached a settlement with Curtis International Ltd. and Technicolor in its lawsuit alleging the companies falsely advertised the lumens of projectors manufactured and sold under the RCA and ONN (Walmart) brand names. Curtis agreed to advertise its projectors only using the industry standard ISO/ANSI lumens and to modify its packaging to reflect the accurate lumens ratings.

For more information, visit epson.com.

 

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