A Class Action Lawsuit Against Amazon & Wayfair Was Approved In Quebec & You Could Be Owed Money

A little retail therapy is no crime but violating a section of Quebec's Consumer Protection Act (CPA), certainly is. A class action lawsuit against Amazon, Wayfair and Home Depot was approved in Quebec on August 10, 2023, and those who made purchases on the sites between 2019 and 2023 could receive compensation.

The class action was filed by LPC Avocat Inc, alleging that Amazon, Wayfair and Home Depot "sold extended warranties for electronic devices and household appliances in violation of section 228.1 of Quebec's Consumer Products Act."

The act indicates that a merchant must inform the consumer both orally and in writing of the existence and content of the warranty already provided for under the Quebec Consumer Protection Act. According to the class action, the policy was not followed when the plaintiff purchased an extended warranty on Amazon. Wayfair and Home Depot also apparently failed to meet the extended warranty requirements laid out by Quebec's CPA during the relevant period.

LPC Avocat Inc, founder Joey Zukran spoke with Narcity Quebec regarding the class action, stating that the case is "especially interesting."

"Firstly, the three companies we sued all changed their practice in their own way shortly after the action was filed. So, for us, it's an admission that they did something illegal, so I think that's obvious," Zukran said. "Secondly, Walmart was selling exactly the same extended warranty as Amazon, but Walmart mentioned the Quebec legal notice before selling it. So, it's the same product, but a different disclosure."

What happens next with the class action lawsuit?

Although the court has authorized the class action, no compensation is being paid out at the moment, Zukran explained. However, the approval now allows LPC Avocat Inc. to move forward with the lawsuit and demand compensation.

The legal team representing the consumers is seeking reimbursement for each warranty purchased, as well as punitive damages for each member. While details regarding this amount have yet to be established, the judgment notice sent out to members involved refers to a compensation of $100.

In this particular case, Home Depot has already reached a settlement between the two parties. Details regarding the Home Depot settlement will be made public soon and affected customers should receive a notice by email on the subject shortly.

As for the class action filed against Amazon and Wayfair, the court will have to rule on a judgment or an out-of-court settlement agreement between the stores and the consumers. Once the ruling has been made, the consumers affected will be notified and can then receive the money they are owed.

Who can receive compensation?

For Amazon Group, those affected by this class action are "all consumers residing or domiciled in Quebec at the time of purchase and who purchase an additional warranty for a good purchased from Amazon's mobile application and/or website between February 7, 2019, and April; 17, 2023.

As for Wayfair, the same restrictions apply, but for consumers who have purchased an additional warranty for a product from the Wayfair website between February 7, 2019, and October 31, 2022.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.