Austria’s Chamber of Labour, called the Arbeiterkammer (AK) has announced a settlement with Amazon that will entitle certain subscribers of the online retailing giant to a partial refund on their subscription.

What happened?

In September 2022, Amazon increased the prices for its Prime subscription. The AK found that the price increase clause, among other provisions it did not specify, was unlawful and filed a lawsuit.

Similarly to a previous case with Netflix price increases, the AK and Amazon agreed on compensation to consumers after “lengthy settlement negotiations”, the chamber said.

Anyone who took out a Prime subscription before fall 2022 and was affected by the price increase will get their money back or a voucher from Amazon.

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How much will I get? 

The claim amount depends on the membership’s type and duration. You will receive the entire price increase back without any deductions in the form of a credit note (Amazon voucher) or a refund to your bank account.

The highest amount will be for anyone who had an annual membership in July 2022 and is still a subscriber now. In this case, the person would be entitled to around € 36.50 for 21 months of the contract. 

How do I get it?

You must request a refund from Amazon Customer Service by September 11th at the latest. To do so, log in to your Amazon customer account and fill out the refund form “Prime Austria: Request for Refund.” 

Customers can then choose between a refund or an Amazon voucher for the same amount. According to the AK, the voucher is valid for ten years and can be redeemed for almost all Amazon services. 

You will receive confirmation of your registration from Amazon within three weeks of registering on the Amazon homepage; once your claim has been approved, the money will be credited to your bank account within another three weeks.

If you have opted for a refund in the form of a credit note (Amazon voucher), you will receive it within a few days of registering in your customer account.

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Who is entitled to it?

As mentioned, you are entitled to repayment if you were affected by the September 15th, 2022 price increase. You must have been a client before that date and continued paying the higher amount. 

You also need to register by the deadline of September 11th. The settlement is only valid for clients in Austria. Even if you have already terminated your Prime membership, you will be refunded the price increase paid for the relevant period. 

Will I pay a lower membership fee from now on? 

No. When you fill out the refund form, you will be asked whether you wish to continue your Prime membership. If you want to remain a Prime customer, you agree to pay the higher price from now on. Alternatively, you can withdraw from the contract at the same time as claiming the refund.