in Newswire Published on October 11, 2022

Jo-Ann Stores Customers Denied Access to Warranties Before Purchase, Class Action Alleges

Leflar V. Jo-Ann Stores LLC

Filed: October 7, 2022 ◆§ 4:22-cv-00969-BRW

A class action alleges the Jo-Ann Stores has failed to provide customers with access to any written warranty prior to the sale of products that cost more than $15.

Defendant(s)

Jo-Ann Stores, LLC

Law(s)

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

State(s)

Arkansas

Categories

Retail

Jo-Ann Stores faces a proposed class action that alleges the fabric and craft retailer has failed to provide customers with access to any written warranty prior to the sale of products that cost more than $15.

The 15-page lawsuit claims Jo-Ann Stores has run afoul of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act by failing to provide customers with access to the warranty terms and conditions of products $15 or higher before the point of purchase.

More specifically, the law's Pre-Sale Availability Rule requires retailers to make the written warranty for a product costing more than $15 "readily available for examination by the prospective buyer,” the case relays. The complaint asserts that under the law, retailers must either display a written warranty "in close proximity" to the product or use signs to remind the customer that they may inspect product warranties.

Per the case, the fabric and crafts retailer does not satisfy either option as required by the Pre-Sale Availability Rule. Additionally, the suit argues that Jo-Ann Stores "is unable to provide consumers with copies of warranties upon request, as it does not have said warranties." The complaint contends that "virtually all" product warranties are available only after purchase by opening the packaging.

Enacted in 1975, the Magnuson-Moss law's Pre-Sale Availability Rule ensures that consumers have the means to make informed purchases, the complaint explains.

"By providing consumers with a way of learning what warranty coverage is offered on a product before they buy, the Rule gives consumers a way to know what to expect if something goes wrong, and thus helps to increase customer satisfaction. Congress also wanted to ensure that consumers could compare warranty coverage before buying. By comparing, consumers can choose a product with the best combination of price, features, and warranty coverage to meet their individual needs."

The plaintiff, an Arkansas resident who has shopped at Jo-Ann Stores, argues that access to the terms of a written warranty would impact their purchasing decisions. Manager of Jo-Ann Stores Customer Analytics Kyle Peters stated that, within the past six years, the company had "more than $16 million in retail sales to customers in Arkansas of items that cost more than $15.00 each," the filing relays.

The lawsuit looks to represent all citizens of Arkansas who have shopped at a Jo-Ann store.

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