Judge Partially Certifies Shopper Class in Pricing Lawsuit Against Amazon
Key Facts
A federal judge in Washington state partially granted a request to certify a class of shoppers suing Amazon over pricing policies alleged to have raised prices on Walmart and eBay, according to MLex. The ruling allows the lawsuit to proceed as a class action within a defined group, but does not resolve the merits of the claims or award damages. The case targets the effects of Amazon’s policies on competition and prices on third-party sales platforms. At an earlier stage, the court said the facts presented by the plaintiffs, if taken as true, were sufficient to show that the challenged conduct suppressed competition and raised prices on those platforms. The lawsuit’s procedural path is therefore advancing, while the central issue remains disputed between the parties.
The class does not include all Walmart or eBay customers; it is limited to purchases made in the United States from third-party sellers on either platform. Products must also be physical and new, and the same seller must have offered them for sale on Amazon Marketplace at the same time. The case’s criteria further state that Amazon tracked those products as part of its monitoring of competitors’ prices. This scope defines the required link between an outside-platform purchase and the product’s listing on Amazon. The partial certification therefore concerns a group of transactions that meet these criteria, not everyone who bought from either platform.
The minimum purchase requirement differs by platform: a buyer must show at least 2 purchases from a third-party seller through Walmart’s online marketplace, or at least 4 purchases from a third-party seller through eBay. These thresholds set a separate standard for including buyers on each side of the certified class. The difference in the number does not change the other requirements concerning the place of purchase, the nature of the product, the seller’s identity and the simultaneous listing on Amazon Marketplace. According to MLex’s description, the class action is limited to buyers who meet these criteria. The decision to grant certification in part reflects the court’s acceptance of a defined portion of the request proceeding, not a finding that the company is liable.
The procedural background to the dispute dates to an earlier ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on a motion to dismiss. The court then concluded that the plaintiffs’ allegations, if taken as true at that stage, were sufficient to show that the conduct at issue led to "suppressing competition and raising prices on outside platforms." The ruling described the standard for reviewing initial pleadings and did not deliver a final judgment on the facts or liability. The court also recorded Amazon’s defense that its policies "encourage low prices among third-party sellers." That response highlights the company’s alternative explanation for the policies, while the dispute remained open and unresolved at that stage.
A hearing was held on September 11, 2026, before the class-certification decision, with the court allotting each side 45 minutes to present its position. The date provides a timeline for the partial decision on the certification request that followed. The case had moved beyond the initial pleadings stage, which examined whether the allegations were sufficient, to determining who could pursue claims as part of a class. The progression between these steps does not mean the claims of higher prices have been proven; the certification ruling concerns the scope of the litigants and the procedures for hearing the case. The plaintiffs’ argument and Amazon’s defense remain part of a dispute whose facts have not been resolved.
In closing data cited by EL7, Amazon shares ended the session on November 2, 2026, at $245.63, while Walmart shares closed the same day at $127.69. eBay shares closed at $121.64 on October 30, 2026. These figures show dated closing prices for each company, and the available data does not link them to the court’s decision or establish a market reaction to it. The eBay price is also from an earlier session than the cited Amazon and Walmart closes. The clear development in the case remains procedural: partial certification of a class restricted by purchase and listing criteria, while the dispute over the effect of the pricing policies continues.