You Check Prices—and See Tariffs? Not Yet, Amazon Says

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🛒 You Thought Amazon Would Show Tariffs on Prices? Not So Fast.

You might have seen headlines saying that Amazon was going to slap tariff fees right next to product prices on its website—like a surprise charge for just wanting toilet paper. But according to Amazon, that’s just a rumor, not reality.

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The chatter started when Punchbowl News reported that Amazon would display tariff-related price hikes to make things more transparent. Great idea if you love charts. Bad idea if you’re the President of the United States trying to keep a lid on economic anxiety.

Trump Dials Up Bezos—Yes, Really

According to CNN reporter Alayna Treene, President Trump personally picked up the phone and called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. We can only imagine the conversation:
Trump: “Jeff, buddy. These tariffs—don’t show ‘em.”
Bezos: “I got you.”

And just hours later, Trump told reporters,

“Jeff Bezos is very nice. Terrific. He solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing. Good guy.”

We’re not saying Bezos blinked. We’re just saying he didn’t want to get in a tweet war with the White House—again.

Amazon’s Official Word: Nope, Not Happening

Amazon’s spokesperson Tim Doyle quickly shut it down:

“The team that runs our ultra low-cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products. This was never approved and is not going to happen.”

So the next time you see a price tag on a Bluetooth speaker or a tube of toothpaste, don’t worry—it won’t come with a surprise “Trump Tariff Tax” label next to it.

White House Was NOT Amused

Before Amazon clarified things, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt came out swinging.
She called the idea of showing tariffs:

“A hostile and political act.”

(Guess transparency is not trending this season.)

Then she added,

“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?”

Burn.

And as a bonus plot twist, she brought up an old 2021 Reuters report that claimed Amazon partnered with a Chinese propaganda outlet to sell some government-approved books in the US.

Leavitt’s message?

“Buy American. And also, we’re onshoring critical supply chains.”

Translation: We’re bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., baby—one awkward press conference at a time.

Meanwhile, Amazon Stock Just Shrugged

Despite the drama, Amazon stock barely flinched. After dropping earlier in the day, it ended the trading session down only 0.2%. Wall Street yawned. Probably because investors care more about quarterly earnings than Twitter feuds.

Still, some Reuters sources said a few Amazon sellers are rethinking their participation in this summer’s Prime Day event because of—you guessed it—tariff uncertainty.

Imagine planning the year’s biggest sale but not knowing if the price of your product will go up overnight. That’s retail roulette.

Jassy on the Mic: “We’re Doing Our Best Here”

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently spoke on CNBC about the whole tariff situation. When asked what Amazon plans to do, his answer was straightforward:

“We’re going to try and do everything we can to keep prices as low as possible for customers.”

Basically, Jassy doesn’t want you to pay more than you have to. And he added that Amazon has regular conversations with the Trump administration:

“We talk to them all the time … We share what matters to consumers … and we’ve had conversations about tariffs too.”

In other words, they’re not ghosting each other—they’re texting.

What’s This “De Minimis” Thing?

You’ve probably never heard of the de minimis exemption, but it’s a big deal for online shopping. It lets companies like Amazon ship goods under $800 into the U.S. without paying import duties.

Trump’s team wants to change that. If they do, you might end up paying more for stuff you didn’t even know was “imported.” Like that $22 ring light you bought at 2 AM.

So yeah—tariffs and taxes could sneak up on your shopping cart without you even knowing it.

Bezos and Trump: From Frenemies to (Sorta) Friends?

Remember, during Trump’s first term, he often slammed Jeff Bezos, especially over how The Washington Post—which Bezos owns—covered his presidency. It got personal.

But now? Well, Bezos showed up at Trump’s inauguration alongside other tech VIPs like:

Sundar Pichai (Google/Alphabet)
Tim Cook (Apple)
Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/Facebook)
Elon Musk (Tesla, X, SpaceX, etc.)

Oh, and Amazon donated $1 million to the inauguration fund. So… friendly-ish?

Big Earnings Report Incoming

Amazon is dropping its Q1 earnings this Thursday after the bell, and analysts are expecting some juicy numbers:

Earnings per Share (EPS): $1.36
Revenue: $155.1 billion

Compare that to last year’s Q1 numbers:

EPS: $0.98
Revenue: $143.3 billion

So yeah, they’re still making money—tariffs or not. But investors want to hear how the company plans to manage future price increases, possible changes to import rules, and that whole de minimis mess.

What This Means for You (The Shopper Who Just Wants a Deal)

If you were worried that Amazon was about to show you a breakdown of every tax, tariff, and political jab in your checkout process—don’t sweat it.

Here’s what you can expect for now:

Prices stay as-is (no tariff breakdowns in product listings)
You might see some price hikes as sellers react to policy shifts
Prime Day could look different, depending on how sellers respond
Amazon is still in talks with Washington, trying to hold the line on prices

So keep those carts filled (wisely), keep your eye on earnings reports, and maybe don’t believe everything you read in the headlines—unless it’s from a solid source like Reuters, CNN, or yours truly.

Final Thought: Politics Meets Prime

Let’s be honest—shopping shouldn’t feel like a political soap opera. But with tariffs, presidential phone calls, and a side of tech-world drama, your Amazon cart might just be the most diplomatic thing in your life right now.

Keep scrolling, keep smiling—and maybe check out the fine print before you hit “Buy Now.”

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