If between March 24, 2009 and April 25, 2017, you
[1] bought a Staples Rewards® eligible product and a
non-Rewards eligible product in the same transaction,
[2]used an item-specific coupon on the non-Rewards eligible
product, and [3] were negatively impacted by Staples’ pro rata coupon accounting, you might be entitled to $10 in Staples Rewards.
Why did I get this notice? A settlement ("Settlement") has been proposed in a class action lawsuit pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California ("Court") titled Torczyner v. Staples, Inc. ("Action"). According to available records, you might be a "Class Member." The purpose of this notice is to inform you of the Action and the Settlement so that you may decide what steps to take in relation to it.
What is the Action about? The Action was filed against Staples, Inc. ("Staples") by plaintiff Neil Torczyner alleging Staples engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices by not adequately disclosing that it utilized pro rata coupon accounting when calculating Staples Rewards earnings in transactions involving product-specific coupons. Staples denies wrongdoing and liability and both sides disagree on how much, if anything, the Class could have recovered after trial. No court has decided which side is right. But both sides agreed to provide benefits to Staples Rewards® members and resolve the case.
Am I a Class Member? You are a "Class Member" if between March 24, 2009 and April 25, 2017, you [1] bought a Rewards-eligible product and a non-Rewards eligible product in the same transaction, [2] used an item-specific coupon on the non-Rewards eligible product, and [3] were negatively impacted by Staples’ pro rata coupon accounting.
What relief does the Settlement provide? If you are a Class Member, you are eligible to receive $10 in Staples Rewards, with the actual value of a Settlement Reward depending on the number of claims. To receive a Settlement Reward you must timely complete and submit a valid Claim Form. A Claim Form is available by clicking HERE. The deadline to submit a Claim Form is July 24, 2017.
What are my other options? If you don’t want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself by July 24, 2017 or you won’t be able to sue Staples about the legal claims in the Action ever again. If you exclude yourself, you cannot receive a Settlement Reward from this Settlement. If you stay in the Settlement, you may object to it by July 24, 2017. The detailed notice available at www.torczynervstaplessettlement.com explains how to request exclusion or object. The Court will hold a hearing on August 28, 2017 at 10:00 AM to consider whether to approve the Settlement and a request by the lawyers representing all Class Members (Hach Rose Schirripa & Cheverie, LLP) for $500,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs, and for the class representative’s (Neil Torczyner) request for $5,000 for his services. You may ask to appear at the hearing, but you don’t have to.
More information? For complete information about the Settlement, to view the Settlement Agreement, related Court documents and Claim Form, and to learn more about how to exercise your various options under the Settlement, visit www.torczynervstaplessettlement.com. You may also write to the Settlement Administrator at the email address Admin@TorczynervStaplesSettlement.com or the postal address Torczyner v. Staples, Inc. Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 43484, Providence, RI 02940-3484.
