Bassett Furniture added a targeted tariff surcharge to certain furniture purchases starting in mid-2025. In February 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs behind that surcharge were never legal in the first place.
Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., a Virginia-based furniture manufacturer and retailer, introduced a combination of selective price increases and a targeted tariff surcharge in 2025 to offset the cost of tariffs on imported materials and finished goods. Bassett Chairman and CEO Rob Spilman confirmed the surcharge in a June 17, 2025 interview with Furniture Today, saying the company “didn’t take a blanket approach” and instead “was strategic about how we applied changes.”
On Bassett’s second-quarter earnings call on July 10, 2025, the company said it had raised wholesale prices 3% to 5% because of tariffs on fabrics, plywood, componentry, and finished goods imported from countries including Vietnam and India. According to a transcript of Bassett’s third-quarter earnings call in October 2025, Spilman confirmed the company was levying surcharges specifically tied to a 20% tariff on goods from Vietnam and a 50% tariff on goods from India, and that Bassett had raised retail prices slightly in July 2025 “to cover the tariff impact.” Spilman also indicated that Bassett was considering rolling the surcharge into the price of new goods going forward rather than continuing to itemize it separately.
On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump and the consolidated case V.O.S. Selections v. United States that the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the same tariffs Bassett cited as the reason for its surcharge, were not lawfully imposed. The tariffs were terminated on February 24, 2026.
That ruling raises a question Bassett has not yet answered: what happens to the tariff surcharges customers already paid? If Bassett seeks or receives a refund of the tariffs it paid on imported goods, whether through the U.S. Court of International Trade or another mechanism, it is not yet clear whether customers who were charged a separate surcharge for those same tariffs will see any of that money back. Emery | Reddy has found no evidence that Bassett has filed a claim with the Court of International Trade, including through its CAPE electronic filing platform, as of this writing.
Emery | Reddy is investigating claims on behalf of consumers nationwide who purchased qualifying furniture directly from Bassett, whether through a Bassett Home Furnishings store, Bassett Design Center, Bassett Custom Studio, or bassettfurniture.com, between June 17, 2025 and February 20, 2026. Priority is being given to purchases that fall into the following categories, which Bassett’s own public statements tie most directly to its tariff surcharge:
A receipt or invoice showing an explicit tariff surcharge line item is the strongest evidence for a potential claim.
Bassett has not published the exact wording it used for the surcharge on customer receipts or invoices. Consumers should look for a separate line item near the subtotal or total referencing a tariff, surcharge, or similar fee, distinct from the listed price of the furniture itself, sales tax, and delivery charges.
Consumers who were charged a separate tariff surcharge tied to tariffs a court has since ruled unlawful may have rights and remedies under consumer protection law. Bassett has not filed a lawsuit or been sued over its tariff surcharge as of this writing, and this is an active investigation, not a filed case.
Which Bassett purchases qualify for this investigation?
Emery | Reddy is focused on purchases made directly from Bassett, in a Bassett Home Furnishings store, a Bassett Design Center or Custom Studio, or through bassettfurniture.com, between June 17, 2025 and February 20, 2026, where the receipt or invoice shows a tariff surcharge line item. Bedroom and dining casegoods, leather-upholstered furniture, and items with plywood or imported componentry are being prioritized because Bassett’s own public statements tie its tariff surcharge most directly to those categories.
What if I do not have my receipt anymore?
Contact Emery | Reddy regardless. A copy of your receipt or invoice showing a tariff surcharge line item is the strongest evidence, but attorneys can advise you on other ways to document your purchase, such as a credit card statement, order confirmation email, or Bassett account order history.
Has a lawsuit been filed against Bassett Furniture over its tariff surcharge?
Not as of this writing. Emery | Reddy is actively investigating this matter and has not identified a filed lawsuit against Bassett related to its tariff surcharge.
Why did Bassett add a tariff surcharge instead of just raising prices?
According to CEO Rob Spilman’s public statements, Bassett wanted to be strategic and avoid a “blanket approach” to price increases, applying surcharges and price adjustments selectively by product category rather than raising prices across the board. Spilman also indicated in October 2025 that Bassett was considering eventually rolling the surcharge into the price of new goods rather than continuing to itemize it separately.
What happens to my surcharge if the tariffs behind it were ruled illegal?
That is the central question of this investigation. If a retailer recovers a refund of tariffs it paid to the government, whether from the U.S. Court of International Trade or another source, it is not yet clear whether customers who paid a separate surcharge tied to those same tariffs are entitled to any of that money. No court has resolved this question for Bassett as of this writing.
Do I have a legal claim?
You may. Consumers who paid a tariff surcharge tied to tariffs a court has since ruled unlawful may have rights and remedies under consumer protection law. Contact the Plaintiffs’ Counsel at Emery | Reddy at 206.207.8929 or emeryreddy.com for a Free Case Review. No Fee Unless We Recover.
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