You Could Be Owed At Least $20 If You Bought These Electronics
Manufacturers have reached a $29.7 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over conspiracy to fix prices.
A pile of electronics.
A massive class action lawsuit has ordered nearly a dozen electronics manufacturers and distributors to pay out $29.7 million to Canadians who bought their items in the mid-2000s.
Lawsuits filed in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia allege that the makers of record players, DVD players, desktop computers, and video game consoles, among other devices that featured optical disc drives (ODD), "conspired to fix their prices."
Quebec courts have approved a distribution protocol for the full settlement amount, making funds available to distribute to eligible claimants.
That means if you purchased a CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray player (or other listed electronics) in Canada between January 1, 2004, and January 1, 2010, you could be eligible to receive compensation.
Claimants who do not have documentation for their purchases will be paid a flat $20 (per claim, not per product). For those who do have proof of purchase, they could get more.
After paying undocumented claims, settlement funds will be divvied up among those with documented purchases.
ODDs will be valued at 100% of their purchase price, while ODD products will be calculated based on the following values:
- Laptop and desktop computers: $25
- Gaming systems (other than Sony PlayStation 3): $25
- DVD and CD players/recorders: $25
- Sony PlayStation 3: $70
- Blu-Ray players/recorders: $70
You must submit your claim before the November 14 deadline. For individual claimants, payments will be made by e-transfer or cheque.