What is De Coster v. Amazon about in plain English?

It is a consumer antitrust lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim Amazon's marketplace rules discourage third-party sellers from offering lower prices on other websites, which they say keeps prices higher for shoppers across online retail. Amazon denies the claims and says its policies help consumers.

Why was the class certified and how big is it?

On an order filed August 6, 2025 and unsealed September 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun certified a nationwide consumer class of roughly 288 million people, covering purchases from May 26, 2017 to the present — among the largest classes ever certified. Certification means the case can proceed on behalf of the whole class, not that Amazon has been found liable.

Trial is scheduled for June 14, 2027 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It was previously set for October 2026 and was pushed back. Trial dates can change.

Why is there no payout or claim form yet?

Because the case is still being litigated. There is no settlement and no judgment, so there is nothing to pay out and nothing to claim. A claim form would only appear after a settlement is approved or the plaintiffs win at trial and a distribution process is created.

What court and case number is this?

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, De Coster et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc., Case No. 2:21-cv-00693-JHC, before Judge John H. Chun.

Is De Coster the same as the Amazon Prime settlement or the California price-fixing case?

No. De Coster is a private nationwide consumer class action over third-party seller pricing. The Amazon Prime FTC settlement is a separate $2.5 billion government settlement about Prime enrollment and cancellation. The California Attorney General's price-fixing case raises similar anti-discounting theories but is a state enforcement action on its own schedule. They are three different cases.

Amazon Marketplace Antitrust Lawsuit, Explained

By Steve Levine

De Coster v. Amazon.com Marketplace antitrust lawsuit explained

Published: June 3, 2026

Status Class Certified — Official Notice Live nationwide consumer class certified August 6, 2025 by Judge John H. Chun (W.D. Wash.), No. 2:21-cv-00693-JHC; court-approved notice now live, administered by Epiq

Class Period May 26, 2017 to Present covers consumers who bought eligible items during this window — roughly 288 million people

Opt-Out Deadline August 31, 2026 the only current deadline — to exclude yourself from the lawsuit; do nothing to stay in

Trial Date June 14, 2027 pushed back from October 2026 · no payout before then, and dates can change

Money / Claim Form None Yet no settlement, no fund, no claim form — this is a lawsuit, not a payout

What Is De Coster v. Amazon About?

De Coster v. Amazon.com is a consumer antitrust lawsuit over how Amazon prices goods on its Marketplace. It is not a data breach, a refund program, or a settlement — it is a live court fight about whether Amazon's rules made online shopping more expensive for everyone.

At the center of the case is what is often called Amazon's anti-discounting or "fair pricing" policy. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon discourages or penalizes third-party sellers who offer a lower price for the same item on another website. The plaintiffs argue that when sellers feel they cannot undercut their Amazon price elsewhere, competition across the whole internet softens and prices stay higher than they otherwise would be — not just on Amazon, but on other sites too.

Amazon denies this. It argues its policies protect customers from inflated prices and that sellers set their own prices. Whether the policy actually harmed competition is the central question a jury is expected to decide.

How This Differs From Other Amazon Cases

"Amazon lawsuit" can mean several very different things right now, and they are easy to mix up. De Coster is the private, nationwide consumer class action described on this page. It is not the same as:

• The Amazon Prime FTC settlement — a separate $2.5 billion government settlement about how people were enrolled in and canceled Prime. That one has a claims/notice process of its own and has nothing to do with third-party pricing.
• The California Attorney General's price-fixing case against Amazon — a state enforcement action raising similar anti-discounting theories, but brought by the state, not consumers, and on its own separate schedule.

If you came here looking for a Prime refund or a government settlement payment, this is not that case. De Coster is the consumer antitrust class action over third-party seller pricing.

The Allegation in Plain English

Strip away the legal language and the theory is simple. The lawsuit says Amazon used its dominance in online retail as leverage: keep your lowest price on Amazon, or face consequences in how your products are treated. Because so much e-commerce flows through Amazon, the plaintiffs claim that pressure rippled outward and propped up prices across online marketplaces.

If the plaintiffs are right, the harm is an "overcharge" — the gap between what shoppers paid and what they would have paid in a more competitive market. Under federal antitrust law, proven overcharges can be tripled, which is part of why a case covering hundreds of millions of consumers carries such enormous potential exposure.

Case Timeline: How We Got Here

2021 — Elizabeth De Coster and other consumers file the antitrust class action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (No. 2:21-cv-00693-JHC).
2024 — The case survives Amazon's early challenges and moves into discovery and class-certification briefing.
August 6, 2025 — Judge John H. Chun signs the order certifying the class; it is filed under seal.
September 2, 2025 — The certification order is unsealed, revealing a nationwide consumer class of roughly 288 million people (class period back to May 26, 2017) — among the largest ever certified.
May 29, 2026 — Court-approved class notice goes live, administered by Epiq, with an official notice website.
August 31, 2026 — Deadline for class members to exclude themselves (opt out).
June 14, 2027 — Trial is scheduled (moved back from October 2026).

Why Is There No Payout Yet?

Because nobody has lost or agreed to anything yet. Certification is a procedural milestone — it lets the case proceed on behalf of the whole class — but it is not a finding that Amazon did anything wrong. There is no settlement fund and no judgment, so there is no money to distribute and nothing to claim.

A payout only becomes possible down two roads: Amazon agrees to a settlement, or the plaintiffs win at trial and the court orders damages. Either path then requires a court-approved process before a single dollar reaches a class member.

When Could a Claim Form Happen?

There is no claim form today and there will not be one unless the case is settled or won. Realistically, with trial set for June 2027 and the possibility of appeals afterward, any claims process is likely years away. Large antitrust cases routinely take that long, and Amazon has signaled it will fight the case hard, including potential appeals of the certification decision.

Bottom line: this is a case to follow, not a form to fill out. The only deadline that matters to consumers right now is the August 31, 2026 opt-out date — and for most people the right move is to do nothing and stay in the class.

What to Watch Next

These are the milestones that will determine whether and when money ever changes hands:

• Any appeal by Amazon of the class-certification order.
• News of settlement talks, mediation, or a preliminary settlement agreement.
• Pre-trial rulings that narrow or expand the issues going to the jury.
• The trial itself in June 2027 — and, if the plaintiffs win, the damages and any court-approved distribution plan.

How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?

Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:

Sources

• Docket — De Coster et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc., No. 2:21-cv-00693-JHC (W.D. Wash.) (CourtListener)
• Official Court-Approved Notice Website — AmazonAntitrustLitigation.com
• Class Certification Order

Filing and Class Action Notices

There is no claim form for this case at this time, and there may never be one if the case does not settle or succeed at trial. If an official court-approved claim process is created in the future, it will be announced through court-approved notice. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not a settlement administrator or a law firm.

For more class actions keep scrolling below.

Settlement Amount None yet — in litigation

Case Title De Coster et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc.

Case Number 2:21-cv-00693-JHC

Court U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington

Judge Hon. John H. Chun

Class Certified August 6, 2025 order unsealed September 2, 2025; nationwide class of ~288 million consumers

Class Period May 26, 2017 to Present

Opt-Out Deadline August 31, 2026

Trial Date June 14, 2027 moved back from October 2026

Official Website Amazon Antitrust Litigation.com