In September, Amazon settled its case with the Federal Commerce Fee over whether or not it had misled prospects who signed up for Amazon Prime. The $2.5 billion settlement is likely one of the largest client safety settlements in US historical past, and whereas Amazon didn’t admit to wrongdoing, it is nonetheless altering issues.
The FTC stated $1.5 billion will go right into a fund to repay eligible subscribers, with the remaining $1 billion collected as a civil penalty. The settlement requires Amazon so as to add a “clear and conspicuous” possibility to say no Prime throughout checkout and to simplify the cancellation course of.
“Amazon and our executives have at all times adopted the legislation, and this settlement permits us to maneuver ahead and deal with innovating for patrons,” Mark Blafkin, Amazon senior supervisor, stated in an announcement. “We work extremely exhausting to make it clear and easy for patrons to each enroll or cancel their Prime membership, and to supply substantial worth for our many tens of millions of loyal Prime members all over the world.”
Do not miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based critiques. Add CNET as a most well-liked Google supply.
Why was the FTC suing Amazon?
The FTC filed swimsuit in opposition to Amazon in 2023, accusing it of utilizing “darkish patterns” to nudge folks into Prime subscriptions after which making it too exhausting to cancel. The FTC maintained Amazon was in violation of Part 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore On-line Customers’ Confidence Act.
“Particularly, Amazon used manipulative, coercive or misleading user-interface designs referred to as ‘darkish patterns’ to trick customers into enrolling in robotically renewing Prime subscriptions,” the FTC criticism states.
Who’s eligible for Amazon’s huge payout?
Amazon’s authorized settlement is proscribed to prospects who enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. It is also restricted to prospects who subscribed to Prime utilizing a “challenged enrollment movement” or who enrolled in Prime by means of any technique however had been unsuccessful in canceling their memberships.
The FTC referred to as out particular enrollment pages, together with Prime Video enrollment, the Common Prime Determination web page, the Delivery Choice Choose web page and the Single Web page Checkout. To qualify for a payout, claimants should additionally not have used greater than 10 Amazon Prime advantages in any 12-month interval.
Clients who signed up through these challenged processes and didn’t use greater than three Prime advantages inside one yr might be paid robotically by Amazon inside 90 days. Different eligible Amazon prospects might want to file a declare, and Amazon is required to ship notices to these folks inside 30 days of constructing its computerized funds.
Clients who didn’t use a challenged sign-up course of however as an alternative had been unable to cancel their memberships may even must file claims for fee.
How a lot will the Amazon funds be?
Payouts to eligible Amazon claimants might be restricted to a most of $51. That quantity might be lowered relying on the variety of Amazon Prime advantages you used whereas subscribed to the service. These advantages embrace free two-day delivery, watching exhibits or films on Prime Video or Entire Meals grocery reductions.
