CarParts.com charged shoppers for shipping protection they never chose, a new class action alleges.

On Oct. 23, 2026, Rodney Powell filed a class action lawsuit against CarParts.com Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit alleges the online auto parts retailer adds a paid shipping protection fee to orders by default and misleads shoppers about what it covers.

The alleged fee

The shipping protection charge does not show up in the cart or on the first checkout screen, the complaint claims. Once a shopper saves a shipping address, CarParts.com allegedly adds the fee to the order total without any notice. The fee reportedly pays for shipping protection from partner company Extend Inc. and equals about 3.3% of the merchandise subtotal, according to the lawsuit. It contends CarParts.com marks the checkbox by default so shoppers must find and uncheck it to avoid paying.

The lawsuit claims the layout of the checkout screen makes the fee look like it is part of shipping. The checkbox is in the shipment details section under the delivery method, and the order summary lists shipping protection right above the shipping line, the proposed class action alleges. At the final step, the site reportedly collapses and grays out that section so removing the charge takes an extra click.

Powell says he never noticed the $3.10 fee on his order of two bumper covers and would not have chosen it had the site presented it clearly.

The coverage at issue

The lawsuit alleges the checkout module tells shoppers that "CarParts.com does not cover lost, stolen or damaged packages." Powell claims that message is false because carriers answer for the packages they lose, federal law lets cardholders dispute charges for goods that never arrive and many card issuers reimburse stolen purchases.

Extend's shipping protection guide carries limits the checkout never mentions, according to the filing. Shoppers must wait five days past the estimated delivery date to report a lost package, and approved claims reportedly may pay out in gift cards. Coverage also ends once a package arrives undamaged so it does not include porch theft.

The proposed class action contends CarParts.com keeps a share of every fee and shifts the cost of lost or damaged shipments to Extend. The complaint also cites an Extend case study reporting that another merchant's shipping protection sales rose 1,200% after it switched from an opt-in box to a pre-checked one.

The legal claims

The lawsuit brings four claims:


  • Unjust enrichment, which bars a company from keeping money it gained unfairly

  • California Unfair Competition Law, which prohibits unlawful, unfair and deceptive business practices

  • California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, which bars deceptive practices in consumer sales

  • California False Advertising Law, which bans false or misleading advertising

Powell seeks refunds of the fees and interest, and a court order barring the practice. He says he plans to seek damages under the Consumers Legal Remedies Act if the company does not fix the problem within 30 days of his Oct. 14 notice letter.

What the lawsuit means for CarParts.com shoppers

The proposed class covers anyone in the United States who paid a shipping protection fee on a CarParts.com order. As of this writing, there is no settlement, no claims process and no money available.