NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Amazon says it’s not planning to display added tariff costs next to product prices on its site 鈥 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鈥檚 reaction appeared to be based on a misinterpretation of internal plans being considered by , rather than a final decision made by the company.
And even those talks were limited. Only Amazon’s 鈥 its recently launched, low-cost storefront 鈥 鈥渃onsidered the idea鈥 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.鈥
President Donald Trump said Tuesday Amazon founder Jeff Bezos "did the right thing," by scrapping a plan to show tariff costs next to product prices on the site. The White House earlier lashed out at Amazon calling the plan a "hostile" and "political" act. (AP Video / April 29, 2025)
Earlier Tuesday, Punchbowl News had that Amazon planned to start showing how much of each product’s cost derived from tariffs 鈥渞ight next to鈥 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 鈥 and further attacked the company by suggesting it had 鈥減artnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.鈥
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 .
鈥淛eff Bezos was very nice. He was terrific,” President Donald Trump told reporters before leaving the White House on Tuesday afternoon. “He solved a problem very quickly and he did the right thing. He鈥檚 a good guy.鈥
Bezos was one of a handful of powerful, ultra-wealthy tech titans Trump’s in January 鈥 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.
The White House on Tuesday slammed plans by Amazon to show how much President Donald Trump's tariffs have raised prices on certain goods, calling it 鈥渁 hostile and political act.鈥 (AP Video / April 29, 2025)
Trump鈥檚 tariffs 鈥 and responding retaliation from targeted countries, 鈥 threaten to increase prices for both consumers and businesses. Economists warn these import taxes will hike consumers buy each day and lead to worse inflationary pressure.
There’s a reason why the Trump administration responded the way it did to Tuesday’s Amazon speculation, explains Rob Lalka, a professor of business at Tulane University鈥檚 Freeman School 鈥 noting that such quick and harsh words from the White House signals concern about companies “redirecting customer frustration.鈥
At the same time, volatile tariffs put a lot on the line for businesses like Amazon 鈥 and those companies may have to play ball, too, while trying to be transparent with customers. across industries have recently shared weaker outlooks due to the new 鈥 and at times 鈥 import taxes. And some big names have already raised prices while specifically pointing to the costs of tariffs, including Amazon rivals .
Earlier this month, Temu and Shein said in separate that their operating expenses had gone up 鈥渄ue to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs” 鈥 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” 鈥 which have 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, 鈥淭ariffs are included in the price you pay. You鈥檒l never have to pay extra at delivery.鈥
Tariffs may now be in the spotlight like they never were before 鈥 but companies have long itemized added costs to the things we purchase, Lalka notes, from city occupancy taxes on a hotel bill to rideshare apps like Uber breaking out local fees. And Amazon itself 鈥渁lready turned to this playbook鈥 when it , he adds, although another line in your online shopping cart may be less apparent than potentially seeing total import taxes next to each product you scroll by.
It’s a message regardless, he explains.
鈥淐ompanies are always communicating something with us when whenever they are putting things in their receipt,鈥 Lalka said 鈥 adding that, while Amazon later confirmed it wasn’t actually breaking out tariff prices, the idea didn’t come from nowhere. 鈥淭he reality is that politics are always being played.”
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Boak reported from Washington. AP writers Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville also contributed to this report.
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