Wilsons Leather class action alleges company uses false reference pricing to entice sales

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Wilsons Leather class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Daniel Tafolla filed a class action lawsuit against AM Retail Group Inc., which sells Wilsons Leather products.
• Why: The company allegedly uses false reference Wilsons Leather pricing to deceive consumers into thinking the items are being sold at a discount.
• Where: The Wilsons Leather class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

Wilsons Leather products are offered online with fake discount pricing, according to a class action lawsuit filed Mar. 7 in California federal court.

Plaintiff Daniel Tafolla says he purchased a jacket from WilsonsLeather.com and believed he was getting a significant discount from the jacket’s original price.

The Wilsons Leather class action lawsuit notes the website prominently advertises sales with purported regular prices, purported discounts and end dates for the purported sales.

Tafolla points to a purported President’s Day sale, during which the website allegedly listed a Leather Jacket With Quilted Shoulder sold at a sale price of $245, with a crossed-out original price of $275. The website reportedly also offered a 35% discount code PRESIDENT that would expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 22.

“But these advertisements are false,” the Wilsons Leather class action lawsuit asserts. “The sales are not limited in time, and the discounts continue to be available.”

Wilsons Leather pricing scheme dupes consumers into thinking they’re getting a deal, plaintiff says

Tafolla says the fake Wilsons Leather pricing scheme “creates an illusion that customers are receiving a limited-time discount,” enticing them into purchasing the item from the website before the sale’s purported expiration date.

However, the discounted prices are ongoing and the products are never actually sold at the purported “regular” price, the class action lawsuit alleges. 

Reasonable consumers expect that the listed “regular” prices are the price at which Wilsons Leather products are actually sold, and that they are receiving a discount when they purchase an item during a sale, Tafolla claims.

Further, consumers are more likely to purchase a product if they believe they are getting a deal, he says.

Tafolla claims he would not have purchased the jacket had he known that it was not discounted as advertised.

The Wilsons Leather pricing class action lawsuit asserts claims for violation of California’s False Advertising Law, Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Competition Law, breach of contract, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, unjust enrichment and negligent and intentional misrepresentation.

Spokeo is also facing a class action lawsuit alleging it uses false reference pricing to dupe customers into thinking they are getting a bargain.

Do you think the Wilsons Leather pricing system is misleading? Join the discussion in the comments!

Tafolla is represented by Christin K. Cho and Simon C. Franzini of Dovel & Luner LLP.

The Wilsons Leather pricing class action lawsuit is Daniel Tafolla, et al. v. AM Retail Group Inc., Case No. 3:23-cv-00419-BEN-KSC, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

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