Shoppers Fight Amazon for Allegedly Inflating Pandemic Prices

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Amazon customers resumed their fight against Amazon for allegedly inflating the prices of household products during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• According to the customers, prices of necessities jumped by as much as 1,800 percent in 2020
• This was not the only class action lawsuit filed against the company, as it faces two more, in California and in Florida

Customers of e-commerce giant Amazon resumed their fight against the retail company, alleging that it took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to inflate prices of household necessities.

In a recently filed lawsuit, plaintiffs Alvin Greenberg, Michael Steinberg, and Julie Hanson accused Amazon of taking advantage of consumers by leveraging a pandemic to unfairly profit through flagrantly unlawful price increases, while countries implemented stay-at-home orders and public health guidance.

“While Amazon has provided needed services during the pandemic, this does not place it above the law,” the lawsuit said. “Like every seller, Amazon has a legal obligation under Washington (and other) laws to ensure that its pricing does not exploit consumers facing emergency conditions.”

Prices Ballooned by Almost 2,000%

The lawsuit cited below product samples on Amazon with steep price increases from the start of the pandemic until after COVID-19 was declared a nationwide public health emergency.

• Face masks spiked by 1,800 percent from $4.21 to $79.99
• Disinfectant wipes jumped by 745 percent from $20.71 to $174.96
• Cold remedies increased by up to 1,523 percent from $4.65 to $79.00
• Toilet papers rose by 1,044 percent from $17.48 to $200
• Black beans were up by 521 percent from $3.54 to $21.99
• Baking soda prices grew by more than 1,500 percent from $3.08 to $50.00
• Flour prices were higher by 400 percent from $22.00 to $110.00
• Yeast prices climbed by 625 percent from $7.02 to $50.95

2020 Price Gouging Illegal

The lawsuit also criticized Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose personal wealth dramatically increased by $205 million per day during the period.

According to the lawsuit, Amazon’s alleged price gouging violated Washington’s anti-price gouging laws, saying that it was not only immoral but also illegal.

In addition, the plaintiffs claimed that the international retailer could have better prepared for and dealt with price gouging on its website but Amazon’s failure to do so amounted to negligence and unjust enrichment.

The lawsuit represented consumers nationwide who paid higher prices on Amazon during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was seeking damages and a court order to put a stop to price gouging.

This is not the first class action lawsuit filed that accuses Amazon of price gouging.

The company is also fighting a price gouging class action lawsuit in California, as well as another lawsuit in Florida from a mother who claimed that the company charged her $99 for 36 rolls of toilet paper and $199 for two bottles of hand sanitizer.