This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com.
A Seattle judge on Monday rejected Amazon’s bid to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the online retailer of price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amazon claimed that Washington’s consumer protection laws on pricing were vague, though U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik found the argument “unpersuasive,” according to Reuters.
Judge Lasnik stated that it was plausible to theorize that product shortages, public health directives, and the shift toward online purchases gave consumers “no meaningful choice but to purchase from Amazon despite the allegedly unfair prices it was charging.”
Consumers argue Amazon price-gouged during the pandemic
Consumers accused the Seattle retailer of failing to prevent sellers from using the platform to charge “flagrantly unlawful” prices for food and other necessities.
Consumers also claimed that Amazon inflated the prices of its own products to profit from consumers desperate for certain products.
According to the complaint, prices rose 233% for Aleve pain relief tablets, 1,044% for Quilted Northern toilet paper, 1,523% for Arm & Hammer baking soda, and 1,800% for select face masks.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Steve Berman labeled the decision as “an important win for consumers.” Berman also claimed that internal Amazon documents revealed that the retailer knew what price gouging was and assured state attorneys general it was attempting to prevent it.
The lawsuit seeks damages for consumers who paid “unfair” prices for food and other goods on Amazon between January 31, 2020, and October 20, 2020.
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