Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit alleging misleading pricing, alleging that the company inflated the list price of its Fire TV products to trick shoppers and make discounts appear larger than they actually were.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleges that Amazon employs this practice on a regular basis, calling it a “persistent and uniform scheme.” The lawsuit alleges that Amazon set “false list prices” for its Fire TV and offered deceptive “discounts” that appeared to be false.
The lawsuit further alleges that the company misled customers into purchasing Fire TVs by omitting “material information” about the duration of the sale and when the retail price actually took effect. As a result, Amazon’s customers “paid” prices they “would not have paid if the sale had not been for a limited time only.” The lawsuit alleges that “many Fire TVs have not come close to the advertised retail price for over a year.”
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Washington State Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits “unfair competitive methods and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce.” Plaintiff David Ramirez seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction preventing Amazon from continuing the alleged practices. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages “in an amount to be determined by the court and/or jury,” as well as prejudgment interest on all amounts awarded.
The lawsuit references a similar case filed in California in 2021 in which Amazon was barred from using false or misleading list prices in its advertising. The company also agreed to pay roughly $2 million in penalties and damages as part of the settlement. It’s still in the early stages of that case.
An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Seattle-based news outlet KIRO 7. We’ve reached out to the company for comment and will update you if we hear back.
