Amazon Rejects Claim of Displaying Tariff Costs Amid Trade Tensions

Amazon denied the report from Punchbowl News which stated that the company would show tariff costs next to product prices for Chinese imports under President Donald Trump's 145% tariffs. The report stated that Amazon would present these charges near the item totals but spokesperson Tim Doyle informed Engadget that the Amazon Haul team considered this idea briefly before deciding not to implement it. According to Doyle the situation will not occur. The discount storefront Amazon Haul operates independently from any tariff-related policies.

Amazon made this statement while facing increased public examination of tariff-related effects. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the supposed plan as "hostile and political" during a Tuesday briefing because Amazon had ties to a Chinese propaganda entity according to Reuters in 2021. Temu now displays 145% import fees on its products which follow Trump's tariff rates and Shein increased prices by including tariff costs in their checkout fees to prevent extra delivery fees according to CNBC. Amazon provides complete product transparency through their system without implementing any extra charges.

Amazon released its July Prime Day sale announcement at the same time the company faced questions about tariffs. The Reuters article indicates that third-party sellers might exit the market because of tariff uncertainties which would create disruptions in supply chains and pricing methods. The Chinese import business model creates equivalent difficulties for small companies because many of them experience delayed deliveries and increased expenses. The decision to avoid displaying tariff costs on Amazon protects customer trust but exposes the company to potential transparency complaints during an unstable trade period. Amazon's concentration on competitive pricing and event planning demonstrates its strategy to survive the trade war while keeping its market leadership position.