Yeezy Apparel Ordered To Pay Almost $1M In Settlement Over Shipping Practices

A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge has ordered the companies behind rapper Ye’s clothing and sneaker brands to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit tied to the brand’s advertised shipping timeframes.

NBC News reports a suit was filed on behalf of the people of California by the Los Angeles, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa County district attorneys’ offices. Yeezy stood accused of lying about its ability to ship purchased items within a specific timeframe, specifically for the consumers who paid for expedited shipping.

Per federal guidelines and California state laws, all online orders are required to be shipped within 30 days. In the event that a company cannot ship within that timeframe, it is required to either send an equivalent or superior product as a replacement or provide buyers with a written notification explaining the delay and offering the option of a refund.

The settlement payment was ordered following an investigation by the District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division. Included in the $950,000 total are $200,000 in civil penalties, $50,000 in restitution to the Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund, and $25,000 in investigative costs and fees.

Additionally, Yeezy Apparel and Yeezy L.L.C. are banned from making “untrue or misleading representations regarding a shipping timeframe or refund; adhere to laws relating to the issuance of delay notices; and [are] required to refund money to consumers who, in the future, purchase products that are not shipped in a timely fashion.”

“Online consumers are entitled to protection against unwarranted fees and unreasonably long waits for purchases to arrive on their doorsteps,” said LA County District Attorney George Gascón. “We will enforce state and federal laws governing online shopping in Los Angeles County.”

Ye, who formally changed his name from Kanye West in October, has not commented on the settlement.

No word as to how many consumers will divide the $675,000 left in the settlement once fees are deducted.