In September 2023, the FTC Sued Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power.

Background

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with 17 state attorneys general, announced a landmark lawsuit against Amazon for “illegally maintaining monopoly power.”

In April 2021, a coalition of independent business associations across the country joined together to advocate against monopoly power harming small businesses and launched the Small Business Rising Coalition, which has grown to represent over 300,000 small businesses.

The coalition formed with the organizing support of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which has long called for policymakers to address the leading perpetrators of corporate concentration — like Amazon and Walmart.

While Congress has failed to pass meaningful legislation to address Amazon’s power, our coalition partners have continued to call for action. In September 2023, the FTC announced a lawsuit targeting Amazon’s antitrust violations and harms to small business sellers on its platform.

This is the most significant challenge to Amazon’s dominance in our economy to date. As of June 2025, the trial is set to begin in February 2027.

Take Action 

• Sign the petition ensuring Amazon does not get away with just a slap on the wrist.

• Share your story as a small business owner or community member impacted by Amazon.

• Join our email list for updates. 

For media inquiries, please contact media[at]smallbusinessrising.net

The Complaint: FTC v. Amazon

• The FTC petitions the court to handle the Amazon trial as two separate phases — one to determine whether Amazon broke the various laws, and one to determine what remedy — 3/13/2024

• US judge sets October 2026 trial for FTC antitrust suit against Amazon — 2/13/2024

• Amazon files motion to dismiss — 12/8/2023

• Partially unredacted full FTC complaint — 11/2/2023

• [Redacted] The full 172-page complaint — 9/26/2023

• The Federal Antitrust Case Against Amazon: An Explainer — Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Sep 2023

Relevant Press

• New unsealed documents in FTC’s antitrust Amazon suit reveal details — The Seattle Times, Nov 3, 2023

• Amazon Used Secret ‘Project Nessie’ Algorithm to Raise Prices — The Wall Street Journal, Oct 3, 2023

• Amazon’s Most Beloved Features May Turn Out to Be Illegal — The Daily by The New York Times, Oct 2, 2023

• The FTC Is Suing Amazon. Here's What You Need to Know and How Sellers Are Responding - Inc., Sep 29, 2023

• Amazon faces lawsuit in landmark monopoly case — CBS Mornings, Sep 28, 2023 (featuring Danny Caine — bookstore owner and Board Member at American Booksellers Association)

• Examining what it's like for some of the sellers who market their goods on Amazon — NPR, Sep 28, 2023

Reports + Studies

• Amazon’s Monopoly Tollbooth in 2023 — Institute for Local Self-Reliance

• ABA Urges FTC and DOJ to Target Amazon’s Books Monopoly — American Booksellers Association

• Unfulfilled: Amazon and the American Retail Landscape — American Booksellers Association

• Snapshot: Amazon Marketplace Sellers — 2022 Independent Business Survey — Institute for Local Self-Reliance

• “Amazon’s Grip is Crushing Us”: Stories and Testimonials from Amazon Sellers — Institute for Local Self-Reliance