Storing Products at Amazon Fulfilment Center Does Not Qualify as Place of Business for Venue

The court granted defendant's motion to dismiss for improper venue because defendant did not have a regular and established place of business in the district through its use of an online retailer's fulfillment centers. "Plaintiff does not present any evidence or legal authority to support its argument that the Amazon FCs are the physical, geographical location of [defendant]. . . . Plaintiff contends that [defendant] leases the place of business since it pays a storage fee to Amazon in exchange for storing the product. Plaintiff has not conducted a legal analysis demonstrating that a monthly subscription fee equates to leasing space in the FCs. On the other hand, Defendant has presented evidence that it has no control over which FCs its products will be sent, and once stored at one Amazon FC, Amazon has discretion to redistribute [defendant's] products to another Amazon FC. Since [defendant] has no control over its products once they are sent to Amazon FCs, these storage centers cannot be said to be the 'place of Defendant.'"

Reeflection, LLC v. Spire Collective LLC d/b/a StoreYourBoard et al, 3-17-cv-01603 (CASD January 5, 2018, Order) (Curiel, USDJ)