New Jersey has announced a $150,000 settlement with Apple regarding merchandise pricing violations. The tech giant agreed to pay the civil penalty and overhaul its in-store pricing practices after investigators found consistent failures across its retail locations. This marks the largest-ever settlement of its kind under the state’s Merchandise Pricing Act.
The legal trouble stems from a reinspection of 11 Apple stores throughout New Jersey. These locations were already subject to a 2017 consent order designed to ensure customers had immediate access to pricing information. Regulators initially took issue with Apple’s “digital-only” pricing strategy, which required customers to navigate through apps or wait for notifications on display devices just to see a product’s price.
During recent visits, investigators found that Apple had failed to maintain the standards set nearly a decade ago. In every store inspected, display tables lacked the required pricing information for high-end devices like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. This lack of transparency forced shoppers to either hunt through software menus or seek out a salesperson for basic cost information.
Beyond the flagship devices, the state found that smaller accessories were also being sold without visible prices. Items such as charging cables, protective cases, and audio devices were frequently offered without a clear selling price on or near the product. This directly violates the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, which requires prices to be plainly marked for the consumer.
As part of the new agreement, Apple must significantly change how it operates in the Garden State. The company is now required to ensure that the total selling price of any merchandise is plainly marked with a tag, label, or sign. If they choose to use digital displays, the price must be visible with “limited interaction” and displayed clearly enough that a customer can find it without help.
The settlement also addresses Apple’s refund policies, which were not consistently posted in several stores. Moving forward, these policies must be conspicuously displayed at store entrances, registers, or on the merchandise itself.
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