Amazon Prime subscribers in Austria are now qualified for refunds, after a 2022 price hike that Austrian consumer advocates contested as unlawful. The Federal Chamber of Labor (AK) claims that Amazon has consented to reimburse customers who proactively request it for up to 36.50 euros. This settlement comes after the AK filed a lawsuit, claiming that the price increase violated the law and citing a particular section of Amazon's General Terms and Conditions in support of its claim.
Refund eligibility is narrowly defined: the only people who can get their money back or choose to receive an Amazon gift card are those who were impacted by the price increase and held an active Prime membership prior to the fall of 2022. This covers users on a range of subscription plans—from subsidized student subscriptions to annual and monthly plans—all of which are impacted differently by the price hike. On its website, the AK has also included mathematical examples to help customers understand what their possible returns could be.
Until September 11, 2024, subscribers must submit a "Prime Austria: Request for refund" form in order to receive a refund. Since the challenged price increase clause was not included in the conditions of the subscriptions of those who cancelled their Prime memberships after the increase or who subscribed after the increase, they are not eligible for refunds.
The official voice of workers' interests in Austria is the Austrian Chambers of Labour, which was instrumental in reaching this agreement. In contrast to trade unions, practically all employees are required to be members. The Chambers play a crucial role in safeguarding consumer rights, functioning in all nine federal states and being the nation's leading consumer protection organization. They also oversee the Association for Consumer Information (VKI).
In related news, in Saxony, Germany's Consumer Advice Center is suing Amazon Prime Video as part of a class action lawsuit, alleging that there was an unannounced price rise once commercials were included. More than 18,000 people have filed a lawsuit in this case.