If you’re an Amazon user, Apple may owe you money
You know that feeling of finding cash in your pocket when you least expect it? Amazing, right? Well, you may have some unexpected money waiting for you on Amazon right now. But, you only have until Saturday, June 24 to claim your funds!
Why You Might Have Amazon Credits
Last year, Apple settled a class-action lawsuit for $400 million. Back in the early days of e-book sales, Apple tried to cut into Amazon’s Kindle market.
How? Apple tried to prevent five major book publishers from selling to competitors at a lower price. Apple would let the publisher set the cost and keep only 30 percent of the retail price. The stipulation was that the publishers couldn’t sell to Amazon or other rivals for less. This move caused publishers to raise their prices on Amazon.
Well, the U.S. Department of Justice and other state attorneys decided that the move violated anti-trust laws and wasn’t fair to the consumer. The case went to court and Apple settled. As a result, anyone who bought an e-book bought from the five publishers between the middle of 2010 and 2012 might be owed some money.
However, settlement payments only remain valid until this Saturday, June 24. So, you need to claim your payment before midnight Pacific time.
How To Claim Your Money On Amazon
To claim your money, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your account on Amazon.
- Visit the eBook Settlement Page
- Once you’re signed in and on the page, you should see any credits earned automatically appear in your account. You’ll find the credit applied in your order summary as a gift card during checkout. You can also find it in your account history.
Do you have more than one email account? If you opened an Amazon account with another account, make sure to check them all. You don’t want to miss out on money owed to you.
A writer from Inc. discovered more than $20 waiting for him on an old email account. So, dig out those email accounts and passwords to make sure you take advantage of possible unused credits.
The five publishers Apple formed a deal with are Hachette, HarperCollins, MacMillan, Penguin, and Simon & Schuster, so credits were issued for e-books purchased from those publishers on other platforms, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple’s iTunes.
The dates of purchase eligible for credits are April 2010 through May 2012.
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Other Active Class-Action Settlements
1. Hyland’s Homeopathic Products
Hyland’s Homeopathic Products recently settled a lawsuit claiming it made false or misleading statements about the effectiveness of certain products for babies and kids.
If you purchased the following Hyland’s Homeopathic Products between the dates of March 8, 2008, and March 30, 2017, you may be entitled to a refund. The products include: Cold ‘n Cough 4 Kids, Cough Syrup with 100% Natural Honey, Sniffles ‘n Sneezes 4 Kids, Complete Flu Care 4 Kids, Baby Teething Gel, Baby Cough Syrup, Baby Gas Drops, Baby Infant Earache Drops and Baby Nighttime Tiny Cold Syrup.
If you think you are eligible for a refund from this settlement, act fast! Claims must be filed by June 28, 2017.
2. Kenmore Grills
Sears recently settled a class-action lawsuit claiming that they sold certain Kenmore grills with defective firebox trays that were prone to rusting and failing prematurely.
If you purchased a Kenmore grill between the dates of Oct. 1, 2011, and Sept. 30, 2014, you may be eligible for a refund up to $300. To be sure, you’ll need to check the model number. The models eligible for money back in this suit include:
- 01566
- 03495
- 16142
- 16154
- 23673
- 23676
- 23681
- 23682
- 23683
- 23766
- 34172
- 34176
- 34178
- 34308
- 34611
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Claims must be filed by Jan. 26, 2018. The amount you’ll be eligible to receive depends on whether you still own the grill, have already replaced the firebox or have since purchased a new grill to replace the Kenmore model you had purchased.