Opinion ID: 3015125
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: May Plaintiffs recover damages based

Text: on drop shipments in Hess? Plaintiffs in Hess claimed that, for teeth drop shipped directly from Dentsply to the labs, they were direct purchasers not subject to Illinois Brick. However, the Hess complaint limited the plaintiff class to “all dental laboratory purchasers of any Dentsply products who purchased such products through Dentsply Dealers.” (emphasis added). Plaintiffs cannot avoid Illinois Brick by claiming they were direct purchasers of drop shipments when their complaint specifically alleges that they did not directly purchase from Dentsply. 21 Furthermore, the fact that some of the teeth are drop shipped directly from Dentsply to Plaintiffs does not affect the economic substance of the transaction. That is, the dealers still make the sale to Plaintiffs and Dentsply makes the sale to the dealers. Plaintiffs pay the dealers their usual price, the dealers take their profit, and then the dealers pay Dentsply. See Dist. Ct. Mem. Op. at 29 (March 30, 2001). While it is true that the dealers do not take physical possession of the teeth, this is nothing but a formal difference from the typical transactions. Thus, even as to teeth drop shipped directly from Dentsply to the labs, Plaintiffs are indirect purchasers potentially subject to Illinois Brick.