Guterman v. Costco Wholesale Corp.

342 F. Supp. 3d 468
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedSeptember 24, 2018
DocketNo. 17-CV-4812 (KMK)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 342 F. Supp. 3d 468 (Guterman v. Costco Wholesale Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guterman v. Costco Wholesale Corp., 342 F. Supp. 3d 468 (S.D. Ill. 2018).

Opinion

KENNETH M. KARAS, District Judge:

Plaintiff Mark A. Guterman ("Plaintiff"), individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, brings this putative class action against Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco" or "Defendant"), alleging a private right of action under New York Tax Law § 1139, and asserting claims for violations of New York General Business Law ("GBL") § 349 and for unjust enrichment. (See Second Am. Compl. ("SAC") (Dkt. No. 20).) Plaintiff alleges that Costco has illegally charged its New York customers sales tax on the full price rather than the reduced price of their coupon-related warehouse purchases, and thus required its New York customers to reimburse Costco for its liability for sales tax on the difference between the reduced price and the full price. (Id. ¶¶ 6-7.) Before the Court is Costco's Motion To Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) (the "Motion"). (See Notice of Motion (Dkt. No. 16).) For the reasons to follow, the Motion is granted.

I. Background

A. Factual Background

The following facts are drawn from the Second Amended Complaint ("SAC") and are taken as true for the purpose of resolving the instant Motion. (SAC.)

Plaintiff, a Costco customer, alleges that he improperly paid sales tax to Costco at a New York warehouse on the full price, rather than the reduced price, of taxable items purchased, when the price reduction *471was based on a coupon issued by Costco in its monthly coupon booklet that was not labeled as a manufacturer's coupon. (Id. ¶¶ 6-7.) Plaintiff brings this Action individually and on behalf of the following class:

All Costco customers who, for the period beginning three years prior to the commencement of this action and continuing up to and including the present (the "Class Period"), paid New York State Sales Tax to Costco for their purchases at Costco's New York warehouses on the full price rather than the reduced price of taxable items when the price reduction was based on a coupon issued by Costco in its monthly coupon booklet (the "Class"). Excluded from the Class are Costco and Costco's directors, officers, parents, affiliates, subsidiaries and successors.

(Id. ¶ 19.) According to Plaintiff, Costco's monthly coupon booklets valid during the Class Period did not indicate "by 'mfr' or some other code" that they are "manufacturers' coupons," and did not disclose that the reduced price is the result of a "manufacturer's reimbursement" to Costco. (Id. ¶ 6.) Plaintiff thus avers that under New York Tax Law, Costco's customers making coupon-related purchases subject to sales tax at Costco's New York warehouses were liable only for the sales tax on the reduced price, and Costco itself is liable for the sales tax on the difference between the reduced price and the full price before the price reduction. (Id. )1 Plaintiff asserts an implied private right of action under New York Tax Law § 1139(a)(ii) and New York Comp. Codes R. & Regs. ("NYCRR") tit. 20, §§ 526.5(c)(4), 534.2, and 534.8 to require Costco to repay to Plaintiff and Costco's other New York customers the amount of its sales tax liability that Costco has illegally required them to reimburse Costco for. (Id. ¶ 19.) Plaintiff also brings claims for violation of GBL § 349 and for unjust enrichment. (Id. ¶¶ 20-21.)

1. Costco's Coupon Booklets

Plaintiff alleges that Costco distributes standard form, monthly coupon mailers ("coupon booklets"), which include store-issued coupons entitling Costco customers to reduced prices for their purchases in Costco's warehouse facilities of the products identified on the coupons. (Id. ¶ 3.) Each coupon booklet is valid for a prescribed date range. (Id. )2 The form of these booklets has changed over the years, *472and Plaintiff describes each of these changes in detail in the SAC. (See id. ¶¶ 4-6; 27-37.)

Prior to August 8, 2013, the coupon booklets included store-issued coupons providing reduced prices for customers' purchases in Costco's warehouses on certain products. (Id. ¶ 4.) Generally, the offers were identified on the coupon itself or elsewhere in the booklet as a "manufacturer's coupon" or as providing "manufacturer's savings." (Id. ) More specifically, the coupon booklets included offers marked as "instant savings" and "no coupon necessary," with an asterisk to "[s]ee inside cover for terms and conditions." (Id. ¶ 29(a).)3 Other offers were expressly identified as a "manufacturer's coupon" and noted that the "[o]riginal coupon must be presented at checkout." (Id. ¶ 29(b).) Finally, there were offers marked as "online-only offer." (Id. ¶ 29(c).)

Additionally, the coupon booklet included "terms and conditions" and disclosures regarding the coupons and tax liability, stating "[t]he coupons in this Booklet are Manufacturers' coupons. When redeemed, state sales tax may be due on the pre-discounted price. These taxes, if any, are in addition to the amount you are paying for the product," (id. ¶ 30(a) ), and "[s]tate and local laws may require sales tax to be charged on the pre-discounted price if the product is subject to sales tax. These taxes, if any, are in addition to the amount that you are paying for the product," (id. ¶ 30(b) ). A separate disclosure, for "online-only offers," stated that "[m]ost online coupons at Costco.com are manufacturers' coupons. State sales tax may be due on the pre-discounted price of the item when purchased using an online coupon." (Id. ¶ 30(c).)

However, after August 8, 2013, Costco's coupon booklets changed. (Id. ¶¶ 5, 31.) Most notably, the booklets no longer contained any indication that the offers not marked "online-only" were "manufacturers' coupons" and that the reduced price was the result of a "manufacturer's reimbursement" to Costco. (Id. ¶ 5.) Additionally, the coupon booklet provided a new form for getting discounts, noting: "NEW No more clipping coupons!" and "Streamlined Savings! No more clipping coupons." (Id. ¶¶ 31(a), (c).) Instead, the front cover had a scannable "Master Bar Code," and customers were instructed to "[b]ring this savings book or the Costco app on your smartphone when you visit Costco and present it to the cashier. Additional books will not be available at the warehouse." (Id. ¶ 31(b).) Most of the offers had a picture of the product with the dollar amount discounted listed (i.e. "$[X] off"); however, some of the offers had an equation with the original price, then a line item underneath labeled "Instant Savings" showing the price reduction, and a line below that listing the customer's reduced price labeled "your cost." (Id. ¶ 31(d).) Some of those offers also had a blue arrow pointing at the price and stating "Book Or App Required." (Id. ¶ 31(e).) Again, there were offers marked as "online-only offer." (Id. ¶ 31(f).)

The post-August 8, 2013 coupon booklet also included terms and conditions and disclosures regarding the coupons and tax liability. (Id. ¶¶ 32.) However for the offers not

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Guterman v. Costco Wholesale Corp.
927 F.3d 67 (Second Circuit, 2019)
Porsch v. LLR, Inc.
380 F. Supp. 3d 418 (S.D. Illinois, 2019)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
342 F. Supp. 3d 468, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guterman-v-costco-wholesale-corp-ilsd-2018.