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Class Action

Audible

Class Action

Audible

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March 2019: A federal judge preliminarily approved a settlement agreement that would resolve this case, as well as three related cases, Weber v. Amazon.com, Beals v. Audible, Inc., and Fisse v. Audible, Inc. The settlement agreement provides class members who lost credits with up to four free audiobooks. Audible also agreed to reimburse class members for overdraft fees that were charged because Audible charged their backup card instead of the primary card. In addition, Audible agreed, but only for a period of one year, to make specific changes to its disclosures for rollover limits and cancellation policies. A final fairness hearing is scheduled for July 8, 2019.

March 2017: A false advertising class-action lawsuit was filed against Audible (an online audiobook seller) and its parent company Amazon for allegedly misleadingly marketing Audible membership plans that provide members with prepaid credits to redeem for audiobooks. The complaint alleges that the companies misleadingly market that:

  • “[O]ne credit equals one audiobook” when, according to plaintiffs, members may not get one audiobook for each credit because credits may expire before they are redeemed;
  • Memberships include one audiobook each month when, according to the complaint, memberships really include a prepaid credit that can expire or be forfeited;
  • Credits never expire when, according to the complaint, credits expire for members who reach the limit for their membership plan to make room for new credits and members are charged for new credits;
  • Members can cancel any time with “no strings attached” when, according to the complaint, members who cancel plans forfeit all previously purchased credits; and
  • Consumers can sign up for a free trial membership and a free audiobook credit when, according to the complaint, consumers who do this end up being enrolled in an automatic renewal policy (the terms of which are not adequately disclosed) and charged without their consent.

(McKee et al v. Audible, Inc. and Amazon.com, Inc., Case No. 17-cv-1941, C. D. CA.)

For more information about other class-action lawsuits filed against Amazon and TINA.org’s coverage of the company, click here.

Class-Action Tracker

Audible Memberships

Class Action

Audible Memberships

Allegations: Failing to adequately disclose that many Amazon customers were automatically enrolled in – and charged for – Audible memberships, and making it difficult to cancel the memberships

Amazon Prime’s Ad-Free Streaming Services

Class Action

Amazon Prime’s Ad-Free Streaming Services

Allegations: Misleadingly advertising that Amazon Prime subscriptions included “commercial-free” streaming of movies and tv shows and then later charging an additional $2.99/month for ad-free streaming services

Amazon Fresh

Class Action

Amazon Fresh

Allegations: Failing to include “service fees” that range from $4.95 to $9.95 in advertised prices

Amazon Prime Grocery Deliveries from Whole Foods

Class Action

Amazon Prime Grocery Deliveries from Whole Foods

Allegations: Falsely marketing that Amazon Prime members receive free 2-hour delivery of groceries when Amazon charges consumers a $9.95 service fee for grocery deliveries from Whole Foods Market

Audible Subscriptions

Class Action

Audible Subscriptions

Allegations: Failing to adequately disclose the terms of automatically renewing subscriptions, charging consumers without their consent, and making it difficult to cancel

Amazon

Class Action

Amazon

Allegations: Preventing consumers from giving negative reviews of Amazon on its websites and apps

Amazon’s 30-Day Refund Policy

Class Action

Amazon’s 30-Day Refund Policy

Allegations: Misrepresenting that Amazon’s refund policy allows customers to get a refund for unwanted items returned within 30 days when it routinely fails to issue refunds for returned items

Weed Slayer

Class Action

Weed Slayer

Allegations: Falsely marketing products as natural, organic, and suitable for organic plants

Digital Content on Amazon

Class Action

Digital Content on Amazon

Allegations: Misleadingly marketing that consumers can “buy” digital content when Amazon may revoke access to content at any time

Dietary Supplements Sold on Amazon

Class Action

Dietary Supplements Sold on Amazon

Allegations: Promoting dietary supplements as if they are legal, safe and therapeutic when they are illegal and have not been approved by the FDA

Amazon Prime’s “Free Titles at Audible”

Class Action

Amazon Prime’s “Free Titles at Audible”

Allegations: Deceptively marketing that Amazon Prime memberships include “Free Titles at Audible” when the company automatically enrolls members in a paid subscription for Audible

Amazon Fresh

Class Action

Amazon Fresh

Allegations: Falsely marketing that consumers who use their Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card “earn 5% back at Amazon Fresh” when they actually receive only 1% back on purchases

Alexa

Class Action

Alexa

Allegations: Misleadingly representing the extent to which Alexa devices record and store audio recordings

Alexa Devices

Class Action

Alexa Devices

Allegations: Failing to disclose that the words that trigger devices to listen and respond to commands also initiate a process to create and permanently store recordings

Ring Security System

Class Action

Ring Security System

Allegations: Misleadingly representing that the company safeguards users’ private information when it does not take adequate steps to stop hackers and actively shares users’ personal data without consent

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