In a significant legal development, a class action lawsuit has been filed against a major floral delivery service for allegedly employing deceptive pricing tactics that cheat consumers out of millions annually. The complaint was filed by Mayo Inoue in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on January 29, 2025, targeting FTD, LLC. This case could have far-reaching implications for e-commerce practices and consumer rights.
The lawsuit accuses FTD, LLC of engaging in a bait-and-switch pricing scheme through its online platform. According to the complaint, FTD advertises floral arrangements at artificially low prices but adds an undisclosed "Surprise Fee" of $19.99 during the final stage of checkout. This fee is labeled as a "delivery fee," which the plaintiff argues is misleading and not disclosed until consumers are deeply invested in the purchasing process. Inoue contends that this practice violates federal and state laws, including California's Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. The plaintiff highlights how consumers are misled into believing they are getting a better deal than they actually are due to these hidden fees.
Inoue's complaint outlines how consumers are lured into making purchases based on advertised prices that do not reflect the true cost once these surprise fees are added. The lawsuit describes this tactic as "drip pricing," where additional charges are revealed only after consumers have committed significant time and effort to their purchase decisions. This strategy exploits psychological biases such as anchoring and decision fatigue, effectively trapping consumers into paying more than intended. Inoue argues that these practices result in financial harm to consumers who pay more than they would have if full costs were disclosed upfront.
The plaintiff seeks relief from the court in several forms: an injunction to stop FTD from continuing its alleged deceptive practices, restitution for affected consumers across all 50 states, statutory penalties, and punitive damages. By bringing this class action suit under California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act among other statutes, Inoue aims to hold FTD accountable for what she claims is systematic consumer deception.
Representing Inoue in this case is a team of attorneys whose names were not specified in the document provided. The case is presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois with Case ID 1:25-cv-01016.