Californian court rejects Amazon is only an intermediary between buyers and sellers

An appeals court has held Amazon liable for damages caused by third-party sellers. The case involved a woman who had burn injuries after a hoverboard she had bought from a third-party seller on Amazon marketplace caught on fire. Amazon’s defense alleged the company operated as a mere platform connecting customers with sellers. It is the second time that an appeals court in California rejects Amazon’s long-held argument that is merely an intermediary between buyers and third-party sellers.

In August 2020, another court of appeals overruled a trial court decision by reinstating claims from a woman who suffered third-degree burns when a defective laptop battery she bought from a third-party seller on Amazon caught fire.