Amazon Faces Class Action Over Marketplace Pricing as Shares Stall

Amazon.com Inc. shares showed muted trading activity as the e-commerce giant braces for a consumer class action alleging anticompetitive marketplace practices. U.S. District Judge John Chun cleared the way for litigation claiming Amazon's fee structure forces third-party sellers to inflate prices across platforms—a policy plaintiffs say violates fair competition principles.

The case centers on Amazon's alleged use of platform most-favored-nation clauses, which purportedly prevent merchants from offering lower prices elsewhere. Evidence suggests these practices have been operational since at least 2017, affecting millions of marketplace transactions. Judge Chun's ruling noted plaintiffs demonstrated sufficient evidence of systematic price manipulation through Amazon's seller policies.