Amazon faces class action over tariff cost claims

US consumers person launched a projected people enactment against Amazon successful national tribunal successful Seattle, claiming the retailer unlawfully passed connected tariff costs totalling hundreds of millions of dollars.

The ailment was filed by 2 consumers from Maryland and Massachusetts and concerns purchases made betwixt 4 February 2025 and 20 February 2026.

This play spans from erstwhile tariffs were imposed nether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to the US Supreme Court’s ruling that the instrumentality did not springiness President Donald Trump authorization to enforce them.

Plaintiffs allege that Amazon, acting arsenic importer of grounds for goods sold done its online store, embedded IEEPA tariff costs successful user prices alternatively than absorbing them.

Following the Supreme Court's decision, the Court of International Trade confirmed connected 4 March 2026 that the close to reclaim those duties from the national authorities rests solely with importers of record.

The suit alleges Amazon has chosen not to prosecute that recovery.

The ailment attributes that determination to governmental considerations, citing a reported speech betwixt President Trump and Amazon laminitis Jeff Bezos, aft which the erstwhile publically stated helium would “remember” companies that did not question refunds.

Pricing information cited successful the suit points to a Wall Street Journal investigation of 2,500 Amazon products, which recovered that astir 1,200 low-cost items roseate successful terms by an mean of 5.2% betwixt January and July 2025.

Over that aforesaid period, Walmart reduced prices connected the aforesaid products by astir 2%.

A abstracted reappraisal of much than 1,400 Chinese-made products sold connected Amazon showed a median terms emergence of 2.6% betwixt January and mid-June 2025.

The Budget Lab astatine Yale University recovered that tariffs drove astir 86% of the emergence successful prices for imported household goods up to January 2026.

It is besides estimated that from February 2025 to January 2026, US consumers paid much than $231bn successful tariff-related costs, oregon astir $1,745 per household.

US Customs and Border Protection estimated full IEEPA duties collected astatine astir $166bn arsenic of 4 March 2026.

The three-count suit seeks restitution, a stock of immoderate refunds Amazon recovers, treble damages, interest, ineligible fees, and injunctive relief.

A assemblage proceedings has been requested.

Retail Insight Network has reached retired to Amazon for comment.

The enactment comes a period aft the institution faced abstracted allegations successful California that it colluded with suppliers and rival retailers to propulsion prices higher alternatively than vie connected cost.

That lawsuit alleged the institution pressured suppliers to rise prices connected competing platforms oregon propulsion their products from those sites entirely.