Amazon Ordered to Reveal Academic Research Ties in Major Price-Fixing Case

Aug 12, 2025 | View Case Page

SEATTLE – A federal judge has ordered Amazon.com to reveal its relationships with academic researchers in a landmark antitrust class-action lawsuit. The world’s largest online retailer is facing claims of violating federal antitrust price-fixing laws, with an estimated 288 million class members affected nationwide, making it the largest class in U.S. history.

In a ruling issued Aug. 8, 2025, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun of the Western District of Washington granted the plaintiffs' motion to compel Amazon to produce information regarding antitrust research performed by economists, scholars and think tanks that were either solicited or funded by the company and are now central to Amazon's legal defense.

The plaintiffs’ motion presented evidence that Amazon had communicated with or funded various authors whose work Dr. Loren Hitt, Amazon’s defense expert, cited. Judge Chun noted that the plaintiffs’ discovery requests are relevant to evaluating the weight and credibility of Dr. Hitt’s testimony.

Consumers claim that Amazon relies on thought leaders, whose opinions Amazon solicited or funded, and used research from experts known as “allies” to influence academic publications regarding issues core to the case. “Discovery shows that these were part of a broader campaign to steer public opinion and escape antitrust liability,” plaintiffs’ motion states.

Amazon opposed the motion, arguing that producing the requested discovery would create an undue burden and infringe on free speech protections. Judge Chun rejected those arguments, stating that Amazon failed to substantiate its claims.

“This ruling is a critical win for transparency,” said Steve W. Berman, managing partner for Hagens Berman and co-lead counsel for the consumer class in De Coster. “If Amazon has funded academic research to shape outcomes in its favor, it threatens the integrity of both academic scholarship and the legal process. The court’s decision safeguards the credibility of both.”

The court’s order requires Amazon to respond to plaintiffs’ discovery requests and produce records, including non-privileged documents held by members of Amazon’s Antitrust Working Group, related teams and company agents.

The ruling applies to three related antitrust lawsuits:

De Coster v. Amazon, No. 2:21-cv-00693 (certified class action) – Challenging Amazon’s alleged pricing parity policies that raise online prices and restrain competition from other online marketplaces by making it more difficult to attract marketplace sellers willing to offer prices lower than Amazon’s, even when the competing marketplace charges lower transaction fees than Amazon.
Frame-Wilson v. Amazon, No. 2:20-cv-00424 (pending class action) – Raising similar claims related to inflated prices on purchases made through marketplaces other than Amazon.
Brown v. Amazon, No. 2:22-cv-00965 – Alleging that Amazon’s Minimum Margin Agreements with suppliers artificially raise prices by restricting competition from other online retailers.

Hagens Berman’s broader antitrust and consumer protection litigation efforts against Amazon include 13 active cases ranging from allegations of price-fixing concerning e-books, Apple products and Audible audiobooks to allegations of price-gouging of essential goods during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm operating in 10 cities worldwide. The firm’s tenacious drive for plaintiffs’ rights has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

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