Steve Madden class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Plaintiff Katherine Beaver filed a class action lawsuit against Steve Madden Ltd.
- Why: Beaver claims the company uses inflated reference prices to mislead consumers with sales in its stores or on its website.
- Where: The Steve Madden class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
A new class action lawsuit accuses Steve Madden of running a false discount scheme that misleads consumers into thinking they are getting a better deal on products purchased in its stores or on its website.
Plaintiff Katherine Beaver claims Steve Madden inflates its reference prices at its brick-and-mortar stores and on its e-commerce website, stevemadden.com.
“In reality, there is no discount or savings because the reference price significantly overstates the product’s value, as the product is almost always sold at prices below the reference price and, often, below the ‘sale’ price,” the Steve Madden class action lawsuit says.
Beaver argues the allegedly inflated reference prices cause consumers to overestimate the quality and value of a product and believe they are getting a bargain and higher-quality product when buying at a “sale” price.
Steve Madden’s alleged false discount scheme enables it to sell more products and charge higher prices than it otherwise would without the false price comparisons, Beaver claims.
Steve Madden knew its discounts were false, class action claims
Beaver claims Steve Madden knows its reference price advertising is false, deceptive, misleading, unconscionable and unlawful under California and federal law because it rarely, if ever, offers or sells its merchandise at the referenced prices.
However, the Steve Madden class action lawsuit alleges that the company fraudulently concealed and intentionally failed to disclose to Beaver and other members of the proposed class the truth about its advertised discount prices and former reference prices.
Beaver wants to represent a California class of consumers who purchased one or more products from a Steve Madden store or website at a discount from an advertised reference price.
The plaintiff demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of restitution and disgorgement of all profits and unjust enrichment obtained by Steve Madden as a result of its alleged unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices.
In another alleged sales scheme, a separate class action lawsuit accuses Steve Madden of using deceptive “false time scarcity” tactics in its marketing emails to manipulate Washington consumers into making rushed purchases.
Have you ever purchased a product from a Steve Madden store or website? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Todd D. Carpenter, Ethan H. Ames and Christopher L. Cornelius of Lynch Carpenter LLP.
The Steve Madden class action lawsuit is Beaver v. Steve Madden Ltd., Case No. 2:26-cv-07782, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
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