October 10, 2024
Lamps Plus Resolves Deceptive Pricing Claims for $4.1 Million
Lighting retailer settles lawsuit over alleged false advertising and deceptive marketing
Lamps Plus, Inc. and its affiliates have agreed to pay $4.1 million to settle a civil lawsuit alleging false advertising and unfair competition, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday.
The lawsuit claimed that Lamps Plus engaged in deceptive sales practices, including false sales promotions, misleading price match guarantees, and deceptive price comparisons to competitors, dating back to at least March 2017.
The case was investigated by the Consumer Protection Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, along with consumer protection units from the district attorneys’ offices of Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties. It was filed in Riverside County Superior Court on Sept. 4, 2024, and the settlement was approved by Judge Carol Greene on Sept. 20.
As part of the settlement, Lamps Plus will pay $3.8 million in civil penalties and $300,000 in investigative costs. The company is also prohibited from using false or misleading advertising practices, including its previous 120 percent price protection policy. Any future price match guarantees must not be advertised in a misleading manner.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Lamps Plus has not admitted any wrongdoing and has cooperated with the investigation.
The Reach of Lamps Plus
Lamps Plus, founded in 1976, is a privately held corporation that distributes lighting, furniture, home décor, and related products. The company has a strong online retail presence and operates 33 brick-and-mortar stores, with 21 locations in California and additional stores in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.
The company was originally called Lamps R Us, but in 1985, it changed its name following a request from Toys "Я" Us, according to the Los Angeles Times. Its headquarters are based in Chatsworth, California.
