NEW YORK – Amazon says it's not planning to display added tariff costs next to product prices on its site — despite a report that sparked speculation the e-commerce giant would soon show the new import charges, and the White House's fiery comments denouncing the purported change.
The Trump administration’s reaction appeared to be based on a misinterpretation of internal plans being considered by Amazon, rather than a final decision made by the company.
Recommended Videos
And even those talks were limited. Only Amazon's Haul service — its recently launched, low-cost storefront — “considered the idea” of listing import charges on certain products, company spokesperson Tim Doyle said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. But this "was never approved and is not going to happen.”
Earlier Tuesday, Punchbowl News had reported that Amazon planned to start showing how much of each product's cost derived from tariffs “right next to” its total listed price, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
The Trump administration was quick to criticize news of the potential move. At a briefing with reporters earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Amazon of taking a “hostile and political act” — and further attacked the company by suggesting it had “partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.”
A source familiar with the matter, who spoke of the condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the president also called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to complain about the reported plans Tuesday morning.
The administration seemed to change its tune following Amazon's clarifying statement.
“Jeff Bezos was very nice. He was terrific," President Donald Trump told reporters before leaving the White House for Michigan on Tuesday afternoon. "He solved a problem very quickly and he did the right thing. He’s a good guy.”
Bezos was one of a handful of powerful, ultra-wealthy tech titans who attended Trump's inauguration in January — filling some of the most exclusive seats right behind the president. But Trump's relationship with much of the corporate world has been tested since, as the tariff wars he's launched with nearly all of America's trading partners continue to plunge companies into uncertainty.
Trump's tariffs — and responding retaliation from targeted countries, notably China — threaten to increase prices for both consumers and businesses. Economists warn these import taxes will hike prices for a range of goods consumers buy each day and lead to worse inflationary pressure.
Many CEOs and companies have shared weaker outlooks due to the new — and at times on-again, off again — import taxes. And some big names have already raised prices, including Amazon rivals Temu and Shein.
Earlier this month, Temu and Shein said in separate but nearly identical notices that their operating expenses had gone up “due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs" — both announcing price hikes to take effect last Friday (April 25).
Temu, owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, now lists added "import charges" — which have reportedly doubled many items' prices, although those available in local warehouses currently appear to be exempt. Meanwhile, Shein, now based in Singapore, has a checkout banner that reads, “Tariffs are included in the price you pay. You’ll never have to pay extra at delivery.”
____________
Boak reported from Washington. AP writers Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville also contributed to this report.