$14 Million Costco Email Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No. 25-2-16392-0

[UPDATED July 21, 2026 — Quick Facts table and claim steps confirmed current through this date. Final Approval Hearing is set for October 2, 2026.]

There’s $14 million on the table — if you opened a Costco email between June 2021 and July 2026 while living in Washington state. Costco is paying out over claims that its “limited time” sale subject lines weren’t actually limited. You have until August 24, 2026, to file.

Costco Email Settlement — Key Facts

Detail	Information
Settlement Amount	$14,000,000
Claim Deadline	August 24, 2026
Who Qualifies	Washington residents who received a Costco commercial email between June 2, 2021, and July 7, 2026
Estimated Payout	Equal pro rata share of the net fund — UNVERIFIED, exact per-person amount depends on total claims filed
Proof Required (Yes/No)	No — a signed attestation on the claim form is enough
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved; Final Approval Hearing October 2, 2026
Court & Case Number	Superior Court of Washington, King County — No. 25-2-16392-0 SEA
Law Alleged	Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) and Consumer Protection Act (CPA)
Administrator	Verita
Official Claim Site	washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com
Last Updated	July 21, 2026

Who Is Costco and Why Are They Being Sued Over Email Subject Lines?

Costco emails millions of members constantly — “Hot Buys available for 5 Days Only,” “Today is the last day.” That volume is exactly what put it in Washington’s crosshairs. Class Representative Michael Aaland alleges Costco knew some of those time-limited promotions would run longer than the subject line said, which Washington’s email statute treats as misleading regardless of intent. Costco denies any wrongdoing and believes it has fully complied with the law, and the settlement isn’t an admission either way.

What Did Costco Do Between June 2, 2021 and July 7, 2026?

Under CEMA, a Washington resident who gets a misleading commercial email is entitled to $500 per message — or actual damages, which can be tripled under the state’s Consumer Protection Act. Aaland’s complaint claims Costco’s subject lines advertised time-limited deals that Costco already planned to extend. That’s the exact theory the Washington Supreme Court blessed in its 2025 Brown v. Old Navy decision, which held CEMA bars false or misleading subject-line claims about a promotion’s duration — a ruling that opened the door to this case and several others like it against major retailers.

Costco fought the case first. It moved to dismiss in August 2025, and lost that motion in October 2025. The parties then went to mediation before agreeing to settle in 2026, rather than test the theory at trial. A class action lawsuit attorney would tell you that timing matters here — this wasn’t a fast, cheap settlement. It came after Costco already lost its bid to get the case thrown out.

If you got one of those countdown-style Costco emails while living in Washington, this case was built around exactly that message landing in your inbox.

Related article: Vector Security Data Breach Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Kocher et al. v. Vector Security, Inc., No. GD-26-002764

Who Qualifies for the Costco Email Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

• Washington residents who received a commercial email from or on behalf of Costco between June 2, 2021, and July 7, 2026
• Anyone whose email address appears in Costco’s own marketing records for that period
• People who got a notice by mail or email about this settlement — that’s a strong signal you’re already in the class
• Members and non-members alike, as long as the email landed in a Washington inbox

You do not qualify if you lived outside Washington the entire time you received Costco’s emails, or if you’re a Costco officer, director, or immediate family member of one.

Costco Customers Outside Washington — Are You Still Covered?

No — this is a state-specific settlement. Only people who were Washington residents at the time they received the email are covered. If you moved to Washington after receiving a Costco email while living elsewhere, that message doesn’t count toward your claim.

Not sure if you qualify for the Costco email settlement eligibility requirements? A free consultation with a consumer fraud attorney can help you sort out edge cases — like a move mid-way through the class period — before the August 24 deadline.

How Much Can Costco Email Settlement Class Members Get?

This one works differently than a per-violation statute might suggest. CEMA technically allows $500 per violating message. But this settlement doesn’t pay that — it splits the $14 million fund equally among everyone who files a valid claim, after fees and costs come out first. File one claim regardless of how many Costco emails you received; a second claim gets rejected as a duplicate.

Class Counsel plans to ask the court for $4,620,000 in attorneys’ fees — one-third of the fund — plus $16,500 in litigation costs, and a $2,500 service award for Aaland. That leaves the rest to be split among everyone who filed. More valid claims filed means a smaller check for each person; fewer claims means a bigger one. Nobody knows the exact number yet, which is honestly the most frustrating part of a fund like this — you won’t see your payout amount until the claims window closes.

Payments over $600 may be reported on a 1099. Check with a tax professional before you count on the money.

How to File Your Costco Email Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to the official claims portal at veritaconnect.com/washingtoncommercialemailsettlement/Claimant
2. Enter your Claim ID and PIN if you received a notice — they’re at the top of your email
3. List the email address(es) where you received Costco’s promotional messages
4. Attest that you were a Washington resident when you received them and owned the email address at the time
5. Choose how you want to be paid — paper check, Venmo, or PayPal
6. Submit the form and save your confirmation number

Takes about 5 minutes. Mailed forms must be postmarked no later than August 24, 2026, to: Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301134, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1134.

Should Costco Class Members Opt Out or Object Before August 24, 2026?

What Opting Out of the Costco Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means no payment from this fund, but you keep the right to sue Costco separately over the same emails. Most people should not opt out without talking to a lawyer first, given how narrow an individual CEMA claim’s value actually is. The opt-out deadline is August 24, 2026 — the same day as the claim deadline, so don’t wait to decide.

How to Object to the Costco Settlement

You can stay in the class and still tell the court you disagree with something — the fee request is the most common target. Objections must include your name, address, phone number, the email address where you received Costco’s messages, and your specific grounds, mailed or emailed to the Settlement Administrator postmarked no later than August 24, 2026.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before August 24 if you’re weighing either option — after that date, both choices are gone for good.

Costco Email Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Class period begins	June 2, 2021
Original complaint filed	June 2, 2025
Costco’s motion to dismiss denied	October 10, 2025
Amended Complaint filed	October 14, 2025
Parties agree to mediation stay	January 16, 2026
Second Amended Complaint substitutes Aaland as class rep	April 15, 2026
Class period ends	July 7, 2026
Claim / Opt-Out / Objection Deadline	August 24, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	October 2, 2026, 3:30 p.m., King County Superior Court
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — after final approval and any appeals resolve

For comparison, Sirius XM’s $28 million settlement resolved a nearly identical claim — Washington residents alleging misleading pricing in email subject lines under this same CEMA and CPA framework — so the claim process here will feel familiar if you’ve filed there. Leftover funds in both cases follow the same path: unclaimed money eventually goes to the Legal Foundation of Washington, which is standard for CEMA settlements administered this way.

Costco Email — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 25-2-16392-0

Do I need a lawyer to file a Costco email settlement claim?

 No. The online claim form at veritaconnect.com/washingtoncommercialemailsettlement/Claimant walks you through it. A consumer fraud attorney is only useful if you’re considering opting out or objecting.

Is the Costco email settlement legitimate? 

Yes. It’s a real settlement in Michael Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No. 25-2-16392-0, pending before Judge Janet Helson in King County Superior Court, with Verita appointed as administrator.

When will Costco settlement payments be sent? 

Not before the Final Approval Hearing on October 2, 2026. If the court approves it and nobody appeals, payments follow after that — appeals can add months.

What if I missed the Costco claim deadline?

 Claims submitted or postmarked after August 24, 2026 are typically rejected. Contact the Settlement Administrator directly through the official site to ask about your specific situation.

Will my Costco settlement payment go on a 1099?

 Payments over $600 may be reported. Talk to a tax professional about how a pro rata class action payment gets treated on your return.

How much will I get from the Costco email settlement?

 There’s no fixed number yet. Your share depends on how many other Washington residents file valid claims before the fund gets split — after the court approves attorneys’ fees, expenses, and the service award first.

Am I part of the Costco lawsuit if I don’t live in Washington anymore?

 Yes, as long as you were a Washington resident when you received the qualifying email. Where you live now doesn’t affect your eligibility.

Is there a lawsuit against Costco besides this email case?

 This settlement resolves only the CEMA and CPA claims tied to Costco’s promotional email subject lines from June 2021 through July 2026. It doesn’t affect any unrelated Costco litigation.

Sources Used in This Costco Email Settlement Article

• Official Settlement FAQ — Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corporation: https://www.washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com/frequently-asked-questions.aspx
• Official Important Dates & Deadlines page: https://www.washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com/important-dates-and-deadlines.aspx
• Settlement Agreement (fully executed PDF): https://www.washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com/media/7162101/aaland_v_costco_settlement_agreement_fully_executed.pdf
• Long Form Notice (PDF), July 2026: https://www.washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com/media/7162110/v6_coaa_notice_071426_final.pdf
• Claim Form (PDF), July 2026: https://www.washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com/media/7166612/v5_coaa_claim_071426_final-web.pdf
• Official Claims Portal: https://veritaconnect.com/washingtoncommercialemailsettlement/Claimant

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement notice, FAQ page, and Important Dates page at washingtoncommercialemailsettlement.com on July 21, 2026. Last Updated: July 21, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.