Jobaaj Stories
White House Pushes Back on Amazon's Tariff Plan
Amazon recently found itself at the center of political controversy after internal discussions about listing tariff-related costs on its Amazon Haul budget shopping platform came to light. The proposal, meant to increase pricing transparency, was never launched—but it caught the attention of the White House.
According to multiple sources, President Donald Trump personally reached out to Jeff Bezos, urging the company to abandon the idea. Shortly after, Amazon issued a public statement confirming it would not proceed with showing tariff breakdowns on its product pages.
New Tariffs Drive Up Consumer Prices
While Amazon won’t display tariff costs, many shoppers are already feeling the impact. The Trump administration’s new trade policy includes a 10% base tariff on all imports and steep additional charges on goods from specific countries—most notably a 145% tariff on items from China.
As a result, prices on popular categories like electronics, home appliances, and personal gadgets have risen across the platform, frustrating both buyers and sellers.
Sellers Pull Back from Prime Day Over Cost Concerns
The rising import taxes have also disrupted Amazon's internal ecosystem, particularly for third-party sellers who make up a large chunk of the marketplace. Several have reportedly chosen to opt out of 2025 Prime Day promotions, citing shrinking profit margins and supply chain uncertainty.
This hesitation could impact the overall success of Amazon’s biggest shopping event of the year, which has traditionally driven massive sales for both small and large sellers.
Amazon’s Proposal Sparks Political Uproar
Amazon reportedly considered adding visible tariff breakdowns to product listings on its Amazon Haul budget platform. The idea was designed to improve pricing transparency for customers as rising import costs began to affect product prices. However, the concept was met with strong opposition from the White House.
President Trump Directly Intervenes
President Donald Trump personally contacted Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, criticizing the proposal and calling it a “political stunt.” Following the call, Amazon issued a public statement clarifying that it would not display tariff costs, citing the plan was never finalized or launched.
What Is Amazon Haul?
Amazon Haul is a relatively new budget-focused section of Amazon’s marketplace aimed at value-conscious shoppers. Though still in its early stages, it's been central to Amazon’s strategy to compete with low-cost platforms like Temu and Shein.
Tariffs Already Driving Up Consumer Prices
Even though Amazon dropped the idea of listing tariffs, shoppers are seeing higher prices across various categories. The new U.S. tariff policy includes:
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A 10% base duty on all imported goods
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Country-specific tariffs, such as 145% on Chinese imports
Items most affected include electronics, home appliances, clothing, and mobile accessories, all of which heavily rely on overseas manufacturing.
Sellers React to Rising Import Costs
Many third-party sellers on Amazon—who account for more than half of the site’s total sales—are reporting slimmer margins. Several sellers have:
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Raised prices
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Cut back inventory
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Opted out of 2025 Prime Day promotions
The result? Fewer deals, delayed shipping, and growing concerns over long-term profitability.
