A Washington State judge on Friday dismissed the latest proposed class-action lawsuit that accused Amazon of misleading consumers with its guaranteed delivery promises, handing a legal win to the e-commerce giant as it continues to face mounting scrutiny over its shipping practices.
The complaint, brought by a group of Amazon Prime members, alleged that the company’s widely advertised “guaranteed delivery dates” were routinely missed, particularly during peak seasons. Plaintiffs claimed that they had relied on these promises for time-sensitive purchases and that the delays caused financial and personal harm.
“This isn’t just about inconvenience,” said lead plaintiff Laura Kingsley in a statement before the ruling. “It’s about accountability. If a company says ‘guaranteed,’ then it should be just that—guaranteed.”
But in Friday’s ruling, the judge found the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate a consistent pattern of deceptive conduct or sufficient evidence of harm. The court pointed to Amazon’s terms of service, which describe delivery windows as “estimates” unless specifically marked as guaranteed.
In July 2024, a similar lawsuit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Tana Lin. That suit accused Amazon of misleading Prime subscribers by charging a $9.95 delivery fee for Whole Foods orders—despite marketing Prime as offering “free delivery.” The court ruled that Amazon had adequately disclosed the fees.
Meanwhile, in December 2024, a separate class-action complaint accused the company of covertly excluding underserved ZIP codes from its fastest Prime delivery service, a practice plaintiffs described as “digital redlining.” Amazon denied the allegations, saying delivery options are based on logistics and carrier availability.
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