OLYMPIA, Wash., July 29 (Our Washington Times) — Costco Wholesale Corp. has agreed to a proposed $14 million settlement in a Washington class action that says the company sent promotional emails with false or misleading subject lines or marketing content. The case, identified in the reporting as Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corp., is pending in King County Superior Court.
For Washington residents who received certain Costco promotional emails, the settlement may mean a cash payment — but only if a claim is filed by Aug. 24, 2026, and the court gives final approval.
What the case is about
The lawsuit is described in the court settlement notice as a class action over promotional emails sent by Costco, or on Costco’s behalf, to Washington residents. The class-action claim covers people whose email addresses appeared in Costco’s records and who received qualifying commercial or promotional messages between June 2, 2021, and July 7, 2026.
A class action lets one lawsuit speak for a larger group of people with similar claims. If a settlement is approved, members of that group may be able to receive money without filing separate lawsuits.
Who may be included
The settlement class is limited to Washington residents who received qualifying Costco promotional emails during the covered period. The notice says eligible emails were sent to an address that appears in Costco’s records.
Some coverage of the settlement gives examples of subject lines that may qualify, including “Today is the last day to access Member-Only Saving” and “Hot Buys available for 5 Days Only.” Those examples are tied to the settlement materials cited in the reporting.
How much money could be available
The settlement is valued at $14 million. Coverage based on the settlement notice says class members may be able to receive up to $500 per qualifying email under Washington’s anti-spam law, the Commercial Electronic Mail Act, or CEMA.
That does not mean every claimant will get $500. The final amount will depend on how many valid claims are filed and on court-approved deductions for legal fees, costs, and service awards.
What the deadline is
The key date is Aug. 24, 2026.
- file a claim for payment,
- opt out of the settlement, or
- object to the settlement terms.
The settlement notice says people who do nothing will not receive money and will give up related claims connected to the lawsuit.
How to file a claim
The settlement administrator says claims can be submitted online or by mail through the settlement website. Coverage of the settlement says no proof of purchase or extra documentation is required for valid claimants.
If a paper claim is filed, ClaimDepot’s summary says forms are mailed to the settlement administrator address listed in the notice.
What happens next
The court has a final approval hearing scheduled for Oct. 2, 2026. At that hearing, the judge will decide whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate under the law.
Until then, the settlement is still proposed, not final.
Why Washington law matters here
This settlement centers on Washington’s anti-spam law, CEMA, which is designed to regulate commercial email messages. The law is why the case is limited to Washington residents and why the reported recovery can be tied to the number of qualifying emails.
For shoppers who may have received Costco promotional emails during the covered period, the main question is simple: whether an email address in Costco’s records matches the class notice. If it does, the deadline to act is Aug. 24, 2026.
