Key takeaways:
- The White House criticized Amazon’s reported plan to display tariff charges on imported goods on its discount platform, Amazon Haul, calling it a “hostile and political act.”
- Amazon clarified that the idea of displaying tariff costs was considered but not implemented, with no immediate plans to make such changes on its platform.
- The proposal, initially reported by Punchbowl, aimed to increase transparency for consumers but drew criticism from the White House, highlighting the political sensitivity of the issue.
The White House has expressed strong disapproval of a reported plan by Amazon to display tariff charges on imported goods, labeling it as a “hostile and political act.” This reaction came from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, following a report suggesting that Amazon intended to list these charges on its discount platform, Amazon Haul. The platform is designed to compete with low-cost Chinese e-commerce companies such as Temu and Shein. However, Amazon has since clarified its position, stating that while the idea was considered, it has not been implemented.
Amazon addressed the report in a statement to CBS News, emphasizing that the company had not finalized any plans to display tariff costs on its main e-commerce site. An Amazon spokesperson further explained to NBC News that the concept was merely an idea discussed by the team managing Amazon Haul. The spokesperson reiterated that no changes had been made to the platform and that the company had no immediate plans to implement such a feature.
The initial report by political news site Punchbowl, which cited an unnamed source familiar with the matter, suggested that Amazon was contemplating showing new tariff costs alongside product prices. This proposal was intended to offer consumers greater transparency regarding the costs associated with imported goods. Despite the potential benefits for consumers, the idea quickly drew criticism from the White House, which viewed it as a politically charged move.
In response to the situation, President Donald Trump reportedly reached out to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The conversation between the two has not been publicly detailed, but it underscores the sensitivity of the issue. As of now, Amazon has not made any official changes to its platform regarding the display of tariff charges, and the discussion remains a topic of interest among political and business circles.
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