Bulletins

Amazon will now pay up if a third party's products hurt you

The Amazon logo.

Amazon has tried to distance itself from responsibility for defective products that third parties sell.

Amazon will now pay up to $1,000 for valid personal injury and property damage complaints arising out of defective products that third-party merchants sold on its U.S. site, according to reports.

Amazon has historically distanced itself from responsibility for the goods that outside merchants sell, directing consumers instead to the third-party sellers.

The new policy, which begins Sept. 1, may reduce litigation, according to Reuters. Different courts have ruled both that Amazon is and is not liable for harmful or defective products sold on the platform by third-party "marketplace" merchants.

Amazon will vet consumers' claims, including consulting with outside insurance fraud experts, according to CNBC. The $1,000 threshold will cover more than 80% of the claims it faces, news reports said.

Last month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon over three sets of products that are allegedly defective and "pose a risk of serious injury or death to consumers."

Ben Brody

Ben Brody (@ BenBrodyDC) is a senior reporter at Protocol focusing on how Congress, courts and agencies affect the online world we live in. He formerly covered tech policy and lobbying (including antitrust, Section 230 and privacy) at Bloomberg News, where he previously reported on the influence industry, government ethics and the 2016 presidential election. Before that, Ben covered business news at CNNMoney and AdAge, and all manner of stories in and around New York. He still loves appearing on the New York news radio he grew up with.

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