Williams Sonoma controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2024
Record penalty for violating Made in USA order
The FTC announced that Williams-Sonoma agreed to pay $3.175 million after investigators found additional products marketed with Made in USA or similar claims that violated the 2020 order. The settlement also imposed annual compliance certifications and stricter requirements for qualified and unqualified origin claims.
2022
Former executive charged in alleged rebate and kickback fraud
Federal prosecutors charged a former Williams-Sonoma executive and other defendants in alleged schemes involving kickbacks and diversion of company rebates. The charges concerned alleged conduct by individuals rather than a finding that the brand itself committed the alleged crimes.
2021
Mary Gattineri sues Williams-Sonoma and Lifetime Brands over brownie-pan invention claim
Lawsuit filed
Mary Gattineri sued Williams-Sonoma Stores, Lifetime Brands, and former Williams-Sonoma manager Teresa Musgrove. The complaint claims Gattineri invented the Perfect Brownie Pan and alleges that Musgrove showed her prototype to Chicago Metallic representatives without her knowledge or consent; the article reports these as allegations, not findings.
Source excerpt
The second new piece of evidence, according to the complaint, was when Gattineri’s former colleagues at the store claimed that Musgrove, who had signed the non-disclosure agreement on behalf of Williams-Sonoma, had shown Gattineri’s prototype to representatives from Chicago Metallic without Gattineri’s knowledge or consent.
The complaint was filed in Middlesex County Superior Court on Aug. 24 and names Williams-Sonoma as the defendant, along with Lifetime Brands and Teresa Musgrove, a former manager at Williams-Sonoma.
2020
FTC settlement over Made in USA claims
The Federal Trade Commission settled allegations that Williams-Sonoma marketed products across several brands with overly broad or misleading Made in USA claims. The order restricted future origin claims and required compliance with federal standards.
2019
Jane Scher sues Pottery Barn Teen and Williams Sonoma
Lawsuit filed
Jane Scher filed a lawsuit against Pottery Barn Teen and its owner, Williams Sonoma, alleging negligence after she fell through an unprotected floor opening and sustained injuries. These are allegations in the lawsuit; the source reports no court determination.
Source excerpt
Jane Scher - a cosmetic nurse from the upscale SkinTight MedSpa - filed a lawsuit against Pottery Barn Teen and owner Williams Sonoma on December 6.
The socialite claims that she 'fell violently' down the unprotected hole in the floor 'due solely to the negligence' of the company located on Second Avenue.