Tying

Tying is an often illegal arrangement where, in order to buy one product, the consumer must also purchase another product that exists in a separate market. Tying falls under the wider legal umbrella of illegal competition that was originally censured by the Sherman Antitrust Act and refined in later acts. The distinction between tying (illegal) and bundling (legal within limits) is an important one for businesses to understand. Tying is also referred to as product tying or tied selling.