Santa Clara, CA: Nordstrom’s is facing a consumer fraud class action lawsuit filed by a resident of Alaska and formerly California, who claims the retailer misleads consumers about its sales pricing.
Specifically, the lawsuit claims that Maureen Keating went to Nordstrom’s on multiple occasions to purchase clothing advertised as being 40 percent off the regular price. However, Keating claims either she was charged full price, or the discount was not as advertised.
The suit asserts that Nordstrom’s claims of being committed to delivering low prices to its customers, that it will not be undersold, and that it matches other retailers’ prices, are false. On “information and belief,” she also understands that Nordstrom instructs its retail vendors to create hang tags that depict a false and inflated manufacturer’s suggested retail price, the complaint states.
“Alaska and California consumers, as with Keating, are influenced in their shopping decisions by the perception of value and savings,” the complaint states. “Nordstrom is not only engaging in false and deceptive price comparisons, but regularly overcharges its customers more than the advertised price, which is not only a violation of statutory consumer rights, but constitutes common-law fraud.”
According to the complaint, in 2014 and multiple occasions thereafter, Keating shopped at Nordstrom’s in San Francisco and Anchorage because of advertised sales, but discovered afterwards that she had not received the full discount on many of the items she purchased. She cites the example of a shirt she purchased which was marked as $88 but when she got home she noticed that she was charged $98. After doing some research online, Keating learned that other stores were selling the same shirt for $78, but Nordstrom supposedly refused to match that price, the suit claims.
Keating alleges that Nordstrom’s actions constitute common-law fraud, and that the retails has violated California’s Unfair Competition Law.
Keating seeks to represent consumers from both Alaska and California who purchased goods from Nordstrom that reflected a discount, whether on the tag or through signage, but did not receive it. Further, the putative class will include consumers who bought items regularly discounted for multiple purchases but did not receive the discount, the complaint states.
Keating is represented by Jason Skala of the Law Office of Jason Skala LLC. The case is Maureen Keating v. Nordstrom Inc., case number 3:17-cv-00030 in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
