If you are looking to explain this issue to a litigator, then he'll want to see a few things up front:

1) what are the terms of that governed the transaction?
2) what is the timeline of the parties' statements and representations (who did/said what when)?
3) how many orders were placed and who placed them?
4) what was the cost of each order and the total orders?
5) what orders were/were not shipped?

This information isn't always available, of course.  Nonetheless, a class action suit needs a few informed, passionate lead plaintiffs to communicate information like this to their lawyer, whomever that may be.