Austrian Amazon subscribers can claim their money back

Austrian consumer advocates have scored another success: they have convinced Amazon.com to refund Prime subscribers up to 36.50 euros. Mind you, only to customers who expressly request this. The reason for this is a price increase implemented in September 2022 for Amazon Prime subscriptions. The Federal Chamber of Labor (AK) classified the price increase as not legally compliant and filed a lawsuit. A settlement has now been reached.

Specifically, the Chamber of Labor considers the clause for the price increase in Amazon's General Terms and Conditions to be unlawful. The consumer advocates filed a lawsuit and report "initial court successes". Amazon was then prepared to enter into settlement negotiations, which, according to the AK, took a long time. However, there is now a welcome agreement for Amazon Prime subscribers:

Anyone who took out a Prime subscription before the fall of 2022 and is affected by the price increase can choose to claim the money or a voucher from Amazon - for a permanent subscription, this is up to 36.50 euros. The exact amount depends on which subscription the customer has (had) and for how long. There are monthly and annual subscriptions at full price as well as discounted student prices, which are affected by price increases of varying degrees. AK has published calculation examples on its website.

Only if the form has been completed

Customers who have canceled their subscription meanwhile will only receive a refund up to the expiry date. The same applies to people who have subsequently taken out a new Prime subscription, as this is a new contract that they have entered into at a higher price. They cannot claim anything back because Amazon did not subsequently increase the price of the new subscription by invoking a clause in the General Terms and Conditions (which is illegal according to the AK). Accordingly, there are also no refunds for customers who only purchased a Prime subscription after the price increase on September 15, 2022.

Anyone wishing to assert their claim following the Chamber of Labor's settlement with Amazon.com must complete the "Prime Austria: Request for Refund" refund form by September 11, 2024, at the latest. There is apparently no financial advantage to choosing an Amazon voucher valid for ten years instead of a refund.

Class action lawsuit due to advertising in Germany

We are not aware of any comparable offer for Germany, where Amazon has also increased its Prime rates as of September 15, 2022. However, the consumer advice center in Saxony is currently bringing a class action lawsuit against Amazon Prime Video. Over 18,000 people have already joined. The reason is a hidden price increase due to the introduction of advertising in Prime Video.

The Austrian Chambers of Labor (officially the Chamber for Workers and Employees) are the legal representation of employees' interests in the country. Almost all employees are automatically members; unlike trade unions, membership is not voluntary. The task of the Chambers of Labor in the nine federal states and the Federal Chamber of Labor is to represent and promote "the social, economic, professional and cultural interests" of employees, which includes consumer protection. The Chambers of Labor are by far the most important consumer protection organization in Austria and also operate the Association for Consumer Information (VKI).

(ds)