Crocs sued for allegedly advertising fake discounts online

Crocs class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Drew Hunthausen filed a class action lawsuit against Crocs Retail LLC, doing business as www.crocs.com.
• Why: Hunthausen claims Crocs falsely advertised regular prices on its website.
• Where: The Crocs class action was filed in California state court.

A new class action lawsuit claims Crocs falsely advertised regular prices and corresponding phantom discounts on products sold through its website.

Plaintiff Drew Hunthausen claims Crocs was able to fabricate a fake “reference price” by advertising fictitious regular prices, which allowed it to present the actual price as “discounted” when it actually was not.

“The result is a sham price disparity that is per se illegal under California law,” the Crocs class action states.

Hunthausen wants to represent a class of individuals who purchased one or more of Crocs’ products from its website while in California within the statute of limitations period at a purported discount from a higher reference price.

Crocs allegedly induced customers to buy products they otherwise would not have

Hunthausen claims Crocs advertised fictitious prices and corresponding phantom discounts on products sold through its website as a way to mislead customers into believing they were getting a bargain by buying the products on sale and at a substantial discount.

“The reference price is, therefore, an artificially inflated price. In turn, the advertised discounts are nothing more than phantom markdowns,” the Crocs class action states.

Hunthausen argues Crocs knows the prices for its products are fake and artificially inflated and that it intentionally uses them in a deceptive pricing scheme on its website to increase sales and profits by misleading consumers into believing they are buying products at a substantial discount.

“Defendant thereby induces customers to buy products they never would have bought — or at the very least, to pay more for merchandise than they otherwise would have if Defendant was simply being truthful about its ‘sales,’” the Crocs class action explains.

Hunthausen claims Crocs is guilty of violating California’s False Advertising Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act. He demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of statutory damages and attorneys’ fees and costs.

In December 2024, Crocs faced a class action lawsuit alleging the company failed to disclose that its Croslite shoes were made of a material that shrinks upon exposure to ordinary heat and/or direct sunlight. 

Have you purchased a product from Crocs’ website? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Scott J. Ferrell and Victoria C. Knowles of Pacific Trial Attorneys APC.

The Crocs class action lawsuit is Hunthausen v. Crocs Retail LLC, Case No. 2:25-cv-04199, in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

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