Yogi Surprise Class Action Challenges Auto-Renewal Subscription Terms

Yogi Surprise has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging the company hooks consumers into a subscription plan with deceptive terms.

Lead plaintiff Jordan Kissel alleges in her class action lawsuit that Yogi Surprise violated California business law by tricking consumers into signing up for an automatic renewal subscription for various goods.

According to the Yogi Surprise class action lawsuit, Yogi Surprise offers subscriptions for “lifestyle and jewelry boxes and related products” though their website. The company is based in Wyoming and purports to offer “A yoga-inspired monthly subscription box designed to complement your active lifestyle of vitality and growth,” according to the website.

Yogi Surprise offers two types of subscriptions – the “Yoga” box and the “Jewelry” box for a $44.95 and $24.99 fee respectively each month. According to the website the boxes offer stones, essential oils, books, jewelry, and other items.

The plaintiff says that although she signed up for Yogi Surprise subscription plan, the company didn’t provide terms of the automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer.

Further, alleges the Yogi Surprise class action lawsuit, the company fails to disclose how customers can cancel their subscriptions.

“Plaintiff and Class Members purchased Defendant’s online lifestyle and jewelry boxes and related products for personal, family or household purposes,” alleges the Yogi Surprise class action lawsuit. “Defendant failed to provide an acknowledgement that includes the automatic renewal or continuous service offer terms, cancellation policy, and information on how to cancel in a manner that is capable of being retained by Plaintiff and Class Members.”

The plaintiff alleges that Yogi Surprise’s failure to include this information, as well as failure to provide simple and easy way to cancel subscriptions to the gift box, is a violation of California law.

The Yogi Surprise class action lawsuit contains two emails the plaintiff received from Yogi Surprise regarding her purchase. The emails simply state that a “Yogi Surprise Box is on it’s way” and provides the tracking number.

The plaintiff seeks to represent a class of Californians who were tricked into signing up for an automatic renewal subscription from Yogi Surprise.

“Plaintiff and similarly-situated Class Members are entitled to restitution pursuant to [California law] for all monies paid by Class Members under the subscription agreements from December 1, 2010, to the date of such restitution at rates specified by law,” states the Yogi Surprise class action lawsuit. “Defendant should be required to disgorge all the profits and gains it has reaped and restore such profits and gains to Plaintiff and Class Members, from whom they were unlawfully taken.”

The plaintiff is seeking reimbursement for herself and on behalf of potential Class Members for subscription fees, as well as a court order stopping Yogi Surprise from its allegedly illegal automatic renewal scheme.

Kissel is represented by Scott J. Ferrell of Pacific Trial Attorneys APC.

The Yogi Surprise Automatic Renewal Class Action Lawsuit is Jordan Kissel v. Yogi Surprise LLC, et al., Case No. 8:18-cv-00758, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.