Lawsuits Lead Amazon To Eliminate List Prices

Amazon used to boast that it offered deep discounts to its customers, showing the Amazon price under the original, usually more expensive, list price. Dozens of consumer lawsuits have been filed claiming the discounts are actually much less than they seem. In response, the on-line retailer has started eliminating list prices from its’ products altogether. Many of the lawsuits have been filed using a California law that targets deceptive advertising, and consumers have also targeted Macy’s, J. Crew, Gymboree, Ann Taylor, and Ralph Lauren. Earlier this year, Kohl’s Department Store settled a case for $6 million, and J. Crew reached a preliminary settlement for $50 million. Amazon customers seeking to sue are hoping a judge lets them out of Amazon’s arbitration clause, calling it “unconscionable” in an appeal.