OCGA § 13-8-15 Unfair Methods of Competition and Unfair Or Deceptive Acts Or Practices

• Library: Code of Georgia
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through 2023-2024 Legislative Session Chapter 353 and 2023 Special Session Chapter 5
• Year: 2023
• Citation: OCGA § 13-8-15

(a) It shall be deemed a violation of Code Section 13-8-14 for any manufacturer, factory branch, factory representative, distributor, or wholesaler, distributor branch, distributor representative, or dealer to engage in any action which is arbitrary, in bad faith, or unconscionable and which causes damage in terms of law or equity to any of the parties or to the public.

(b) It shall be deemed a violation of Code Section 13-8-14 for a manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division, a factory branch or division, or a wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative thereof, to coerce, or attempt to coerce, any dealer:

(1) To order or accept delivery of any unit of equipment, parts or accessories therefor, or any other commodity or commodities which such dealer has not voluntarily ordered; or

(2) To order or accept delivery of any equipment with special features, accessories, or equipment not included in the base list price of such equipment as publicly advertised by the manufacturer thereof.

(c) It shall be deemed a violation of Code Section 13-8-14 for a manufacturer, a distributor, a wholesaler, a distributor branch or division, a factory branch or division, or a wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative thereof:

(1) To refuse to deliver in reasonable quantities and within a reasonable time after receipt of dealer's order to any dealer having a franchise or contractual agreement for the retail sale of new equipment sold or distributed by such manufacturer, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division any item of equipment covered by such franchise or contract specifically advertised or represented by such manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division to be available for immediate delivery; provided, however, that the failure to deliver any such unit of equipment shall not be considered a violation of this article if such failure is due to prudent and reasonable restriction on extension of credit by the franchisor to the dealer, an act of God, work stoppage or delay due to a strike or labor difficulty, a bona fide shortage of materials, freight embargo, or other cause over which the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler, or any agent thereof, shall have no control;

(2) To coerce, or attempt to coerce, any dealer to enter into any agreement, whether written or oral, supplementary to an existing franchise with such manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, or officer, agent, or other representative thereof; or to do any other act prejudicial to such dealer by threatening to cancel any franchise or any contractual agreement existing between such manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, distributor branch or division, factory branch or division, or wholesale branch or division, and such dealer; provided, however, that notice in good faith to any dealer of such dealer's violation of any terms or provisions of such franchise or contractual agreement shall not constitute a violation of this article if such notice is in writing mailed by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery to such dealer at his or her current business address;