Court ruling means Amazon customers could see big payouts

If court ruling means amazon is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.

Key Takeaways

• Advertisement A federal court ruling has found Amazon liable for billing parents for their kids’ unauthorized in-app purchases.
• Read more: Amazon doesn’t want to sell you certain items without a Prime membership​ What it means for Amazon customers The US F...
• All three technology companies had made it pretty easy to download in-app purchases from games children could get their hands on&n...

Advertisement

A federal court ruling has found Amazon liable for billing parents for their kids’ unauthorized in-app purchases.

Read more: Amazon doesn’t want to sell you certain items without a Prime membership​

What it means for Amazon shoppers

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Amazon in 2014 due to the way the company handles in-app purchases for Kindle and Android devices, and just last week, a federal judge ruled that Amazon has to pay up. 

The FTC also sued Apple and Google the same year over similar issues related to their app stores, but both companies decided to settle at $32.5 million and $19 million, respectively. 

The issue at hand? All three technology companies had made it pretty simple to download in-app purchases from games children could get their hands on , costing parents big bucks. And even though Apple and Google decided to settle, Amazon fought the charges ’til the bitter end.

FTC analyst Julie Miller suggested that Amazon had made $86 million from the in-app purchases, 42% of which were unauthorized, but Amazon maintained those estimates were flawed. Regardless, the FTC said it would ‘urge the court to demand full refunds for affected Amazon shoppers,’ according to BBC news. 

The amount Amazon will have to pay is still to be determined, but it’s in the hands of the court to decide.

Read more: This couple replaced both of their incomes by selling on Amazon

  Advertisement

Final Thoughts

Before you check out, double-check court ruling means amazon against current offers and any coupons you can stack. Small habits like this add up to real savings over a year.

Originally published at clark.com.