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Ann Taylor and Loft face Class Action Over “Hidden” Online Processing Fees and Alleged Drip Pricing

A new class action lawsuit alleges that AnnTaylor.com and Loft.com are quietly adding mandatory processing or handling fees at the very end of checkout, a practice plaintiffs say amounts to illegal drip pricing and deceptive advertising.

Published: Apr 3, 2026 1:38 PM

By Jeanel Alvarado

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Ann Taylor and Loft face Class Action Over “Hidden” Online Processing Fees and Alleged Drip Pricing

Credit: Ann Taylor

A new class action lawsuit alleges that AnnTaylor.com and Loft.com are quietly adding mandatory processing or handling fees at the very end of checkout, a practice plaintiffs say amounts to illegal drip pricing and deceptive advertising. The case targets parent company Premium Brands OpCo LLC, arguing that the sites lure shoppers in with artificially low prices before revealing the true, higher cost only after customers have invested time in the purchase flow.

What The Lawsuit Claims Is Happening At Checkout Filed as Sun et al. v. Premium Brands Opco LLC in February 2026, the 27 page complaint says shoppers on AnnTaylor.com and Loft.com are never shown a full, all in price, including the processing/handling fee, until the final step before placing an order.

Instead, customers first browse products, see teaser prices, add items to cart, log in or create an account, and enter shipping, contact, and payment details, only to see an extra mandatory fee appear at the end, according to the suit.

The plaintiffs argue there is no way to purchase a product on the website without paying the Fee, making it a non optional charge that should be included or clearly disclosed up front.

One California plaintiff says she bought two items from Ann Taylor in December 2025 and was charged a bundled shipping and processing fee of $8.95, while a Virginia plaintiff claims she paid a $16.95 shipping and handling fee on a Loft order in July 2025…

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Ann Taylor and Loft face Class Action Over “Hidden” Online Processing Fees and Alleged Drip Pricing

A new class action lawsuit alleges that AnnTaylor.com and Loft.com are quietly adding mandatory processing or handling fees at the very end of checkout, a practice plaintiffs say amounts to illegal drip pricing and deceptive advertising.

Unlock the rest of this story

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Sabo Skirt Takes Shein, Kmart, and 14 Other Brands to Federal Court Over Design Copying

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