A federal judge has ruled that the Federal Trade Commission may proceed with its landmark antitrust suit against Amazon. He also gave Amazon a small win by dismissing a few claims from states involved in the legal battle.
The order, which was issued by Judge John H. Chun last week and unveiled on Monday, represents a major loss for Amazon, who has been trying for months to have the case dismissed in court. The trial is scheduled for October 2026.
In a prepared statement, FTC spokesperson Doug Farrar stated that the FTC was pleased with the court decision and looked forward to moving forward in this case. “The ways Amazon illegally maintained its monopolies, and the harm that they caused–including suppressed competitiveness and higher prices for both shoppers and sellers- will be on full display during trial.”
The FTC, along with the attorneys general from 18 states and Puerto Rico, has accused Amazon of abusing its position on the marketplace by inflating prices on and off the platform, charging sellers more than they should, and suppressing competition.
The lawsuit, filed in September 2023 is the culmination of an investigation into Amazon’s business that lasted for years. It is one of the biggest legal challenges Amazon has faced in its almost 30-year history.
U.S. regulators, state attorneys general and the online retailer are accusing them of violating federal antitrust laws and state consumer protection laws.
In his order, Judge Chun of the U.S. District Court of Western District of Washington allowed federal challenges to proceed and many state claims. He dismissed some claims by New Jersey and Pennsylvania under state antitrust laws or consumer protection laws.
Amazon, on its part, expressed confidence in its ability to prove its argument as the case progresses.
“The court must assume that all the facts in the complaint are true at this early stage,” says Tim Doyle. Tim Doyle stated in a press release that they are not. He added that the agency’s case “falsely claims” consumers only shop for household goods on popular sites like Walmart.com. Target.com. Amazon.com. and eBay.
Doyle said: “Moving ahead, the FTC will need to prove their claims in court. We’re confident that these claims will not stand up to scrutiny when the FTC is required to provide evidence.” Doyle also said that the FTC’s strategy “would make shopping difficult and expensive.”
The FTC has also filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms for alleged monopolistic activities, while the Department of Justice brought similar suits against Apple and Google with some success.
In August, a federal court ruled that Google’s ubiquitous search engine illegally exploits its dominance in order to squash competition and stifle innovative.
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