Costco has agreed to a $14 million settlement to resolve a class action alleging the warehouse chain sent Washington residents promotional emails with false or misleading subject lines, and eligible shoppers have until Aug. 24 to file a claim.
The case, Michael Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, is pending in King County Superior Court in Washington. The complaint alleges Costco violated Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) and Consumer Protection Act by advertising time-limited promotions in email subject lines, knowing it would extend those promotions past the stated deadline. Subject lines cited in the litigation included messages like “Today is the last day to access Member-Only Savings” and “Hot Buys available for 5 Days Only.”
Costco denies any wrongdoing. The company maintains it complied with the law and agreed to settle only to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. No court has decided whether Costco did anything wrong.
Who qualifies
You may be eligible if you meet all of the criteria, which include receiving at least one commercial email sent from or on behalf of Costco between June 2, 2021, and July 7, 2026, residing in Washington state at the time you received the email, and receiving it at an address that appears in Costco’s records.
