Published
January 26, 2026
Updated
September 25, 2026
Amazon customers whose refunds for returned products went missing, arrived late, came up short or were charged back can now act in the $309.5 million Amazon returns settlement, whose court-approved claim portal opened in September 2026. Subclass A members are paid automatically, while Subclass B members must file a claim with the Notice ID from their notice by December 1, 2026.
What Happened
The settlement website for In re Amazon Return Policy Litigation, ReturnSettlement.com, is now taking claims. Class members sign in with the Notice ID and Confirmation Code from their personalized notice. The same site takes payment-method choices from class members who are paid automatically, and it hosts the online opt-out form.U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead preliminarily approved the $309.5 million settlement on August 18, 2026. Claims, opt-outs and objections are due December 1, 2026, and the final approval hearing is set for March 16, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Amazon denies the allegations and any wrongdoing, and the court has not ruled on the merits.
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Status
Claims Open
preliminary approval August 18, 2026 · final approval hearing March 16, 2027
Claim Deadline
December 1, 2026
Subclass B claims only · online or postmarked
Settlement Amount
$309.5 million
non-reversionary cash fund, plus more than $363 million in non-monetary relief
Proof Required
Automatic for Subclass A
Subclass B: Notice ID plus proof of tender and a signed statement for each return
Which Subclass Are You In?
The notice says. Both subclasses come from Amazon's own return and refund records, and the claim form states that the notice emailed to each class member identified whether that person is in Subclass B.• Subclass A covers transactions Amazon identified as owed. These are paid automatically with interest; the only step is choosing a payment method on the settlement website, which can be done up to 105 days after final approval.
• Subclass B covers the rest of the class's transactions. Each pays only if the class member files a claim by December 1, 2026 showing it is more likely than not the refund was wrongly denied, cut short or charged back.
A person can be in both subclasses and be paid from both.
What a Subclass B Claim Asks For
For each return, the claim form asks for the order number, product, date the refund was requested, refund amount and, if known, the reason Amazon rejected it. For almost every rejection reason it also requires proof of tender, meaning proof the item was actually sent back, plus a signed statement written for that reason. Where Amazon said the customer's payment failed, the proof is a bank, card or payment-app record showing the charge posted and was not reversed.The full requirements, including the list of rejection reasons, are on our Amazon returns settlement claim guide.
No Notice ID?
The notice went by email to the address on each class member's Amazon account, to alternate addresses when a first email bounced, and was followed by reminder emails. Anyone looking for theirs should search every inbox they have used with Amazon, including spam folders, and any mail they received about the settlement.The online portal requires both the Notice ID and the Confirmation Code from the personalized notice, and there is no way around that on the portal itself. A paper claim form can be downloaded from the settlement website and mailed, postmarked by December 1, 2026, but it also asks for a Notice ID, so anyone without one should contact the official settlement administrator through the Contact page on ReturnSettlement.com before relying on a mailed claim.
How the Money Is Divided
Fees, costs, service awards and administration expenses come out of the $309.5 million fund first; class counsel may request up to $100 million in fees and up to $1 million in costs. Of what remains, 92.7% goes to Subclass A and 7.3% to Subclass B claimants, each in proportion to the unpaid amounts involved.The Subclass B share is small next to the claims it may face. 7.3% of the full fund is about $22.6 million before deductions, and the settlement agreement records Amazon's estimate that the likely Subclass B claim pool is about $400 million. Separately, Amazon had already issued about $570 million in previously unpaid refunds by December 1, 2025.
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Plaintiffs allege that some of Amazon's return and refund practices violated Washington consumer protection and other laws. The complaints described customers who followed Amazon's return instructions and received refunds, then were charged again when Amazon said the item never arrived, and customers whose refunds never came through. Amazon denies each of the allegations.Key Dates
• Settlement agreement filed with the motion for preliminary approval: January 23, 2026• Preliminary approval granted: August 18, 2026
• Class counsel's fee application due: November 17, 2026
• Subclass B claim, opt-out and objection deadline: December 1, 2026
• Final approval motion due: February 1, 2027
• Final approval hearing: March 16, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific
When Will Payments Go Out?
No payment date had been announced as of September 25, 2026. Payments follow final approval, any appeals, and Amazon's final funding payment, which is due within 30 days after the settlement becomes final. The court can also move the March 16, 2027 hearing without further notice to the class.Official Settlement Notice
Sources
• Official settlement website — ReturnSettlement.com• Long-form notice and claim form
• Settlement agreement (Dkt. 171-5)
• CourtListener docket, In re Amazon Return Policy Litigation, No. 2:23-cv-01372 (W.D. Wash.)
• Earlier court filing (PDF)
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