Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Close up of Amazon home page on a laptop screen.
(Photo Credit: Casimiro PT/Shutterstock)

Update: 

  • Amazon asked a judge to throw out a price-fixing case alleging it has anticompetitive minimum margin agreements with its suppliers to prevent other online retailers from offering the same product at a lower price. 
  • On Sept. 30, Amazon filed a motion to dismiss in a Washington federal court, arguing that customers are not harmed by their business practices and instead benefit from their lower prices.
  • A group of Amazon users claim the e-commerce company restrains competition from its rivals and, in doing so, artificially raises the online retail price for thousands of brands that it sells. 
  • Amazon argues that the case should be thrown out because plaintiffs have not suffered an “antitrust injury” and are not “efficient enforcers” of the antitrust laws since the class action is related to Amazon’s purchase of goods from suppliers and not customers.

Amazon anticompetitive margin agreements class action lawsuit overview: 

  • Who: A group of Amazon users has filed a class action lawsuit against the online retailer. 
  • Why: They claim the company has minimum margin agreements in place with its suppliers that are anticompetitive and artificially raise the online retail price for thousands of products that it sells through its online marketplace. 
  • Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington state. 

(July 18, 2022)

Amazon has anticompetitive minimum margin agreements with its suppliers that are in place to prevent other online retailers from offering the same product at a lower price, a new price-fixing class action lawsuit alleges. 

A group of Amazon users claim the e-commerce company is restraining competition from its rivals and, in doing so, artificially raising the online retail price for thousands of brands that it sells. 

“Instead of Amazon risking its own profit margins to compete with its retail rivals on price, Amazon contractually shifts that risk to its suppliers,” the class action says. 

The users want to represent a nationwide class and an individual state subclass of consumers who purchased a product from Amazon that was subject to a minimum margin agreement since July 13, 2018.  

Company accused of taking guaranteed margin with agreement

The minimum margin agreements in place between the online retailer and its suppliers guarantee that the retailer will “be able to price the supplier’s product competitively against other online competition at least 95% of the time,” according to the class action. 

Further, the plaintiffs claim the agreement allows the company to receive a minimum margin for each sale that is made, regardless of the actual price the product is ultimately sold at for retail. 

“Amazon enforces this agreement by requiring its suppliers to compensate it monthly for any lost margins necessitated by lowering its retail price to match a competitor,” the class action states. 

The plaintiffs claim the company is in violation of the Sherman Act, California’s Cartwright Act and the Maryland Antitrust Act.

They are demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive relief along with actual and treble damages for themselves and all class members. 

A separate class action lawsuit was filed against the online retailer earlier this month over claims the company should have lowered the price of its Prime membership after discontinuing its free Whole Foods delivery benefit. 

Have you purchased a product on Amazon that was subject to a minimum margin agreement? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Steve Berman and Barbara Mahoney of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. 

The Amazon price-fixing class action lawsuit is Brown, et al. v. Amazon.com Inc., Case No. 2:22-cv-00965, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.


Don’t Miss Out!

Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!


Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.

820 thoughts onAmazon class action over illegal price-fixing seeks dismissal

  1. Larry Crosby says:

    include me please

1 77 78 79

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.