A new Supreme Court ruling regarding minimum retail prices could have a dramatic impact on e-commerce, reports MarketingPilgrim.

The Court ruled last week that manufacturers can set a minimum retail price that retailers must use. That rolls back an antitrust rule that's been in place since the early part of the 20th Century. It could have the effect of eliminating the ability of online retailers to compete with brick-and-mortar outlets based on price.

Many e-commerce outlets drastically discount some items in order to lure shoppers. Taking away that tool could be good for manufacturers but could cut the number of retailers online, eliminating those that can't compete with the larger outlets that have higher profit margins or a wider array of products to boost profits.