Copyright SlashGear
The familiar neighborhood auto parts dealer known as AutoZone is also a place where you can find some underrated tools to complete your DIY auto repairs. However, "session replay" technology employed by AutoZone to track and record the mouse movements and clicks of Pennsylvania residents shopping its website resulted in a class action lawsuit. Under the settlement agreement for the lawsuit, "Farst v. AutoZone, Inc.," filed in the Court of Common Pleas of County of Cumberland, 9th Judicial District, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "Settlement Class" members who file a valid Claim Form by November 13, 2025, are entitled to receive a $20 check from AutoZone. The Settlement Class is defined as those residing in Pennsylvania anytime on or after January 1, 2022, who placed an order on AutoZone.com while the website was equipped with session replay technology, as long as they were not members of the AutoZone Rewards program. While class representative Matthew Farst claims AutoZone used session replay without consent in violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA), AutoZone denies any wrongdoing. The settlement agreement simply avoids an expensive court battle for both sides. While the number of $20 checks AutoZone will have to write depends on how many valid claim forms are received by November 13, 2025, the "Settlement Fund" for approved claims is capped at $1,233,820.00. That means that 61,691 AutoZone.com PA customers could potentially get checks. On top of the $1.23+ million Settlement Fund, the Settlement Agreement includes provisions for a $2,500 "Service Award Payment" to the Settlement Class Representative, Matthew Farst, for their contributions. While Farst's Service Award Payment technically bumps AutoZone's potential cost to $1.24 million, it's the attorney's fees, litigation costs, and expenses that could add the largest single line item. Per the Settlement Agreement, AutoZone agrees not to oppose an award from the court to the Settlement Class Counsel in the amount of up to $348,803.35, bringing AutoZone's potential cost to settle the lawsuit to $1.588 million. AutoZone and the Settlement Class Counsel negotiated the maximum amount of the additional fees following their agreement on the primary terms of the Settlement.
