Overview
- A federal court this week approved a joint order between the FTC and Amazon that requires automatic refunds to newly eligible customers beginning Oct. 1, 2026.
- Eligibility now covers customers who used between 11 and 20 distinct Prime benefits in a one-year period, up from the prior cap of 10 benefits.
- Amazon has already distributed about $845 million of the original $1.5 billion fund, leaving roughly $665 million to be reallocated to the expanded cohort.
- If funds remain after those payments, the order directs Amazon to send supplemental automatic payments of up to $149 to prior recipients so total individual payouts can reach as much as $200, with that round expected to begin by April 2027 following a February 2027 accounting check.
- The 2025 settlement resolved FTC claims that Amazon used manipulative or deceptive user-interface designs to enroll or retain Prime members, and the amended order removes the need for consumers to file claims by sending refunds via PayPal, Venmo, or mailed checks.