Amazon return policy class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Holly Jones Clark filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com Inc.
- Why: Jones Clark claims Amazon repeatedly and systematically fails to issue refunds on items that are properly returned within the allowed 30-day return window.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Washington federal court.
Amazon repeatedly and systematically fails to issue refunds for unwanted items returned within 30 days in accordance with the company’s refund policy, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Holly Jones Clark claims Amazon has also gone so far as to reverse refunds that it had earlier issued, despite representing to its customers that it will “issue or process a return upon receipt of the product.”
The plaintiff argues Amazon is ultimately able to “earn a windfall” from refused refunds at the expense of consumers who allegedly have to go back and look through their own bank statements to find whether Amazon has “complied with its own refund policy.”
“The alleged ease and accuracy with which customers can return products are an integral part of the Amazon shopping experience and are relied upon by customers when making a choice as to whether to purchase a product from Amazon,” the Amazon class action states.
The plaintiff wants to represent a nationwide class of consumers who were charged by Amazon for failing to return a product that had been timely returned in its original condition within the past six years.
Amazon states on customer accounts that refund was issued when it was not, class action says
The plaintiff argues Amazon confuses is customers by allegedly stating on their accounts that a refund has been issued, despite that not actually being the case.
“Where the customer fails to notice whether Amazon has issued a proper refund, or recharged his account, Amazon is able to earn a windfall on those items which it has received back but has failed to issue the necessary refund or credit,” the class action states.
The plaintiff claims Amazon is guilty of conversion, unjust enrichment and breach of contract, and of violating the Washington Consumer Protection Act.
The plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive and declaratory relief along with an award of actual, treble, punitive and/or exemplary damages for herself and all class members.
A similar class action lawsuit was filed against Amazon in September by a group of consumers arguing the company re-charges its customers for items that are returned within the allowed 30-day return window.
Have you been charged by Amazon for a product you returned within the allowed 30-day window? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Manish Borde of Borde Law PLLC and Lynda Grant of TheGrantLawFirm PLLC.
The Amazon return policy class action lawsuit is Holly Jones Clark v. Amazon.com Inc., Case No. 2:23-cv-01702, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
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458 thoughts onAmazon class action claims company violates own return policy
I am going through this right now. I returned an item and I have the UPS tracking info that it was delivered to an Amazon warehouse. I have yet to receive my refund for $645. Amazon keeps changing the date on my account of when I will get a refund. I spend so much time chatting with reps, stating I will get a refund in 3-5 days, and it does not happen. Now the item is showing that I did not return it, and I missed the window. Fortunately, I have kept everything and have the chat screenshot showing the item was returned and the customer service rep stating a refund would be issued. I just initiated a chargeback with my credit card.
I am currently going through this with Amazon. I ordered what I thought was a “NEWEST for 2023” HP Laptop. Spent over $1400. During shipment, I read some of the reviews for the company that sold it on Amazon, and discovered that many people were charged outrageous “re-stocking fees”, like in the HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. This got me suspicious, so I looked up the company online and discovered a plethora of complaints on the Better Business website about them doing this to many people, including selling USED computers as “NEW”.
So I decided to contact HP to ask them what I can do to verify if the computer I am going to be getting is actually new. They said to do a warranty check through their system online. They also told me that they do not offer that laptop in that configuration, and that it had to have been upgraded or modified. I asked if that would effect the warranty, and they said, “No, as long as it has a warranty on it with HP”, and that I needed to check to make sure through their system.
After receiving the laptop, I ran the serial number on the box on the HP website, and it came up “INVALID”, and “we need more information”, and asked for the product number, and I typed that in, and again “INVALID”. This means there is NO WARRANTY, and they have no record of the laptop. ( I have screen shots of everything, including the chat with HP)
I immediately repacked the laptop and contacted Amazon again, telling them the situation. They swore up and down that they will give the refund as soon as the seller receives it back, and that I have nothing to worry about. They sent me an email link to print out a return label, which I did, and took the laptop to the local UPS store, all within an hour of receiving it.
Many hours later I received a message from Amazon saying “The seller accepts the return”, and a message from the seller telling me that Amazon contacted him about the laptop, and that it said “It was missing something”. So he asked, “What is missing”. I responded with the details, and that it was missing a NEW Laptop. I told the seller everything HP told me, and about the numbers being INVALID.
The laptop was shipped back on 3-21-24, and arrived back to the seller 3-26-24 at 9:45am, EST, but at no time did the status update on Amazon. It just said “Seller agrees to Return. Print the label and return before 4-21-24.”, as if I never printed a label and returned it. I only knew it was delivered by checking the UPS tracking number at the UPS website.
I immediately tried to find out what was going on at the Amazon website, and my account. When I clicked on “Status of return” it said I need to print the label and return the item. I knew something was wrong, so I went to the “Print Label” button, and it showed a label with totally different numbers than the one I had been given by Amazon on the 21st.
After pure hell trying to get through to an actual person in chat, I explained what was going on and they assured me that they could see that it was delivered and that they will update the status within 24-48 hours. This did not address my refund of more than $1400, only the status of delivery. This was not what I was told in their return policy, or when I voiced my concerns about this seller, and about the seller charging re-stocking fees, to which on 3-21-24 in chat, they assured me that they will be refunding my money, and the seller will not charge a re-stocking fee.
It is now 3-26-24 at 7:05pm EST. and I am forced to wait for an update or refund from Amazon for minimum of 24-48 hours.
After informing Amazon of this seller, they swore they would investigate and take action for what he did. The seller disappeared for 2 days, and is right back on Amazon selling the same exact laptops as “NEW”, as well as other sellers doing the same. This alone of fraud, and Amazon is aware of it, so must be participating in it.
Please add me. Amazon is making returns a nightmare for me as well !! So crazy !!!
I have fought Amazon SO many times about this very issue. They are stealing people’s money when getting their product back.
I would like to know if it seems when a large order of items are bought from Amazon, the whole amount due is taking out of your bank account then all of a sudden the day you were notified that they would be delivered changes into multiple days and the last items that are due to be delivered you now receive a notice that you have insufficient funds so you have to send MORE MONEY to retrieve those items when you KNOW for a FACT the whole amount was taking ASAP when order is placed and the proof of full payment disappears off of your Amazon account AND your BANK ACCOUNT? Am I the only one that experience this? Please let me know that I’m not the only one. Make it make since to me please. And YES I’m definitely willing to participate in not receiving full or some of my refund.
Two instances with Amazon since 12/23 1. Returned defective Lexie hearing aids. Return returned and I was told I would have gift card amount credited to me. I charged $699 on a debit issued by RSI my former flex spending company and this card is null and void. Amazon won’t help now
2 I returned a camera lens in 12/23. They received the lens and now weeks after they put up a statement no refund is coming. No explanation and no way to speak to a live human.
I have been charged a numerous amount of times for items I had returned correctly to Amazon. They claims that their system hadn’t processed the items although it had been returned 3 months ago. Over half of these recharges had resulted in me receiving a $38 NSF fee from my bank and Amazon should be held accounted for because I returned these within days of filing the return. I have paid hundreds of dollars in wrongful NSF fees.