HP agrees to $4 million settlement over inflated PC prices on its website

What just happened? HP has agreed to pay $4 million to settle allegations that it misled customers with deceptive pricing on its website, bringing closure to a class-action lawsuit first filed in October 2021. The case centered on claims that HP's website displayed inflated original prices for computers and accessories – creating the illusion of significant discounts that, according to the plaintiffs, rarely existed. The lawsuit accused HP of using "strike-through" pricing – showing a higher, crossed-out price next to a lower sale price – to suggest that shoppers were getting a special deal. However, the complaint alleged that these original prices were often not the actual regular or recent prices of the products in question. For example, one cited incident involved an HP All-in-One computer advertised as discounted from $999.99 to $899.99, even though the higher price was rarely, if ever, used in the months leading up to the sale. Plaintiffs argued that such tactics induced consum ... Read full article.