Dish Settles Retailer Class Action
- Thread starter CU2000
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Yes, The settlement has been made in Arrapahoe, Co District court and is due to be approved late this year or January and $52M to go into a common fund for the damaged dealers (as many as 20,000) who signed agreements and sold systems and programming for Dis# back in '97. They had their lifetime residuals cut off or reduced and cajoled into signing subsequent agreements that took their commission rights away and to agree not to sue or contest the new rules as a prerequilite for being a future dealer. There are many other fraud and deceptive practices made in the lawsuit and It was scheduled for a jury trial last month which they know would have cost them a lot more $ so is why they have offered a settlement with no admission of wrongdoing.
The early small mom and pop dealers back then is what put them on the map, got them noticed and made them what they are today. A giant corporate behemoth. The lawsuit has been in force since 2000 and they have done everything possible to avoid addressing the complaint and giving their dealers back what they stole from them. The settlement of $60M after legal fees split among 20000 dealers amounts to about $1500 each or 10% of what I feel the true damages were. But at least theres the satisfaction that there will be some justice done in the matter.
To any dealers involved in the class action; You should receive, in the mail by the end of Nov. info about the settlement and your rights being a member of the class.
The early small mom and pop dealers back then is what put them on the map, got them noticed and made them what they are today. A giant corporate behemoth. The lawsuit has been in force since 2000 and they have done everything possible to avoid addressing the complaint and giving their dealers back what they stole from them. The settlement of $60M after legal fees split among 20000 dealers amounts to about $1500 each or 10% of what I feel the true damages were. But at least theres the satisfaction that there will be some justice done in the matter.
To any dealers involved in the class action; You should receive, in the mail by the end of Nov. info about the settlement and your rights being a member of the class.
I have a 4 digit dealer number with Echosphere. I have received "the letter" . Been dealing with them from the beginning. Replaced over 5,000 Houston Tracker ( C-band ) power supplies!! and repaired several hundred more. I have supported this company and have made my lively hood with them. With the thousands of Dish customer I have sold, I would really hope to get like $10,000-$15,000. With the promiss of "life time commisions" I could of easily retired if they were still paying that type of commision structure today. I do believe he has cheated his loyal dealers,but what's a small company like me to do? I think the class action law suite was justified and applaued the dealers that have brought this on. Guss I will just have to be satasified with the little "bump" in my commisions I hope to receive in the next few months. $1500 is better then nothing!
+1 to ya brother. I too am a 4 digit DN dealer# having been TVRO since 1980! Replaced a few HTS power supplies myself. I even manufactured and sold C-Band dishes to Echo for resale in the '80s. I was a participant in all the 8 lawsuit categories. As I interpret, It looks like the dealers will get either a blanket settlement OR the lifetime residual option. Not both. I was cut down my lifetime res back in 2002 and havent received ANY sales residuals since 2 years ago because not enough volume. I think I deserve $1 per month per customer since 1997 minus what Ive recieved which would be over $40,000 plus ongoing residuals in the future @ $1 per active customer per mo. I doubt if theres over 2500 active dealers left from those days. That would be 50 per state. I'm hoping for a pleasant surprise, but not counting on it! I'm set to retire next year and could really use a little extra income. Who wouldn't
Well I think today is the date dish network was supposed to fund the account for us retailers. I have not seen anything come my way via USPS. But the echostarretailerclassaction.com site says its a done deal. Where is our 52 million dollars!
Dish makes $52 million a day. Dish won. The settlement will take at least a year before you see a penny, in my opinion.
I talked to one of the persons named in the lawsuit. Im hearing checks will be distributed pretty quickly once they receive the money.
The biggest issue is going to be what every retailer is owed.
FYI, I called the class administrator today and they said they will be sending a letter and paperwork to all affected dealers next 60 days to fill out and sign and submit for compensation. Then they will calculate who gets how much. They said it sometimes takes years to get it done. We've already waited 10 years! Meanwhile many of us getting nothing for the sales we made between '97 and '01 (lifetime residuals) and after. I know the attorneys probably got $60M so far so wheres ours? The official class administrator contact # is 1-866-904-3617.
Hay! I just found this info posted on echostarretailerclassaction.com
Important Update (July 15, 2011):
Important Update (July 15, 2011):
- To avoid unnecessary costs of administration and mailing, the Court has agreed that a minimum benefit of $500 will be issued. Class members eligible for an amount less than $500 will not receive a benefit check.
- The Class Administrator mailed on July 15, 2011, a letter and Form W-9 to all Class Members eligible for a settlement benefit from the Common Fund. In order to receive a cash benefit from the Common Fund, Class Members must return the Form W-9 by August 15, 2011.
- Final benefit amounts will not be known until after all W-9s returned to the Cass Administrator have been processed and final calculations performed. Please be patient as this process does take some time.
- Class Members eligible for the Lifetime Residual Option (LRO) benefit were mailed a packet for their consideration on July 15, 2011. Class Members who want to participate in the LRO benefit must return the LRO Election Form by August 15, 2011.
