Magazine publisher says it was overcharged $200K

HUNTINGTON – A West Virginia magazine publisher is suing a Georgia printing company and two of its employees, alleging it was overcharged more than $200,000 for printing.

Prestige Magazine Co., doing business as Prestige Communications, filed a federal suit March 27 against Panaprint, Panaprint President Wanzie Collins and employee Rette Collins.

Prestige Communications claims it entered into an oral business contract in January 2002 with Panaprint through its employee, Rette Collins.

Terms of the contract written in subsequent e-mails and other documents stated a base price for printing. However, prices could increase or decrease on 30 days notice based on paper cost increases or decreases, according to the complaint.

Panaprint began printing for Prestige in February 2003 and continued through March.

Prestige claims Panaprint would increase the printing price when the cost of paper increased, but failed to decrease the price when the cost of paper decreased.

Prestige claims it did not find out about the company's omission of price decreases until March.

"The net result of said failure to include the decreased cost of paper as per the contract ... resulted in an overpayment of in excess of $200,000," the suit states.

Prestige is seeking unspecified actual and putative damages, plus interest, fees and costs.

John Warren Stapleton of Stapleton Law Offices in Huntington will be representing it.

U.S. District Court case number: 3:09-0314