If you have a tween daughter, chances are you’ve at least heard of Justice, glitter bomb central of malls across America. If you’ve ever entered the clothing store, you’ve also likely raised your eyebrows at its mile-high prices for teeny-tiny tees and bright neon sweatpants with words like “dance” and “smile” emblazoned across the rear end.
And if you’ve ever plunked down some money on something your little girl (or heck, little boy) has begged you to buy from a Justice store, get ready to get paid.
The store was recently sued by a customer suspicious of its ongoing “40 percent off sale,” and the result is a $50.8 million settlement with Tween Brands, Inc. and Ascena Retail Group, Inc. The lawsuit alleged that despite marking clothing, bookbags and other items on sale for 40 percent off, the price tags actually reflected the true price. In other words: Nothing at all was on sale.
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Justice maintains it did nothing wrong, but a judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania disagreed, siding with broke moms everywhere.
So what do you need to know to get paid? Here’s the deal:
1. The settlement is still subject to approval by the courts on May 20, 2016, but claims for refunds must be made before April 4, 2016, for a shopper to get money back.
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2. The settlement will apply to anyone who bought items at Justice between Jan. 1, 2012 and Feb. 28, 2015, except Ohio residents who made a purchase in one of the shops between July 1, 2012 and Aug. 31, 2014 (those folks are part of another settlement with the chain).
3. Some shoppers will receive an email or postcard with an access code, which can be used online to claim a refund. If you have lost or if you believe you should have received an access code, call 1-877-854-5282. If you did not receive an access code, you must submit proof of one purchase during the class period to receive either the cash payment or Justice voucher.
4. If you have documented purchases between Jan. 1, 2012 and Feb. 28, 2015, and you either shopped at Justice six or more times and/or spent $105-plus in a single visit or order, you may claim a check for 14 percent or a voucher for 20 percent of your total documented purchases. This can be done on the online claim form, but a paper claim form can also be printed.
5. If you don’t have documented purchases, you can submit for a cash payment of $7, $13 or $20, depending on the state in which you live, or a Justice voucher in the amount of $10, $20 or $30, again depending on the state in which you live.
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6. If you’re considered a “known” settlement member, you may automatically get a voucher for shopping in the store, but the store can require a purchase of $25 or more to use the voucher.
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