Not-So-Free Shipping: Yeezy Brand to Pay $950k Over Late Shipping under California Consumer Protection Laws
By: Melissa J. Tea and Kelsi E. Robinson
Supply chain disruptions, coupled with a surge in online shopping, have led to overstretched companies and impatient customers. The supply chain crisis continues to cause shipping delays across the nation as companies struggle to work around pandemic-related constraints. A recent case in the Los Angeles County Superior Court has put companies and individuals who advertise or conduct business, online or otherwise, in California on notice that failure to adequately communicate with customers regarding accurate shipping times could result in consumer protection law liability for missed shipment deadlines.
On 8 November 2021, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that the high-end sneaker and retail clothing companies, Yeezy Apparel LLC and Yeezy LLC (collectively, Yeezy), will pay US$950,000 to settle a civil consumer protection lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by district attorneys in Los Angeles, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa counties, alleged that Yeezy engaged in unlawful business conduct under the California Business and Professions Code (BPC) for failing to ship items in a timely manner and false advertising.