The adverse effects of tariffs are ultimately borne by American consumers! Prices of nearly a thousand products on Amazon have surged by 30%

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, as the Trump administration continues to intensify its tariff policies against China, American consumers are directly feeling the price impact of the trade war through online shopping channels.

Price analysis platform SmartScout shows that since the second week of April, nearly a thousand products on the Amazon (AMZN.US) platform have seen significant price increases, with an average increase of nearly 30%.

Scott Needham, founder and CEO of SmartScout, stated that the price surge has affected multiple product categories, from electronic accessories like phone chargers to women's clothing. For example, the popular charging device brand Anker on the Amazon platform has raised prices on about 25% of its product line.

Needham said, "This is the first time I have observed such a large-scale coordinated price increase, and I can't find any other reasonable explanation aside from tariff factors."

According to trade rules, importers typically pass on most or all of the tariff costs to consumers. Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy stated earlier this month that he expects U.S. tariff policies to drive up prices for many consumer goods.

Currently, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs as high as 145% on certain Chinese goods, while China has retaliated with a 125% tariff on U.S. goods exported to China. Trump has long accused China of unfair trade practices, claiming that increased tariffs will revitalize U.S. manufacturing and stimulate economic growth.

In response, Amazon stated that these more than 900 price-increased products account for only 1% of the top 100,000 best-selling items on the platform, and most products have only seen a price adjustment of 6%. The 30% average increase reported by SmartScout is statistically skewed due to "a few products with abnormally high prices."

Amazon stated in a statement: "Amazon has always maintained a lowest price strategy across all categories, and the price fluctuations of hundreds of millions of products are within a normal range, with the vast majority of product prices still maintaining a competitive advantage in the industry."

Cross-Border E-Commerce Price Increases

Other e-commerce platforms and retailers are also passing on costs through price increases or by adding "tariff surcharges." Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms SHEIN and Temu announced last week that, with the U.S. canceling the duty-free entry policy for goods under $800, they will comprehensively adjust their prices. For example, a certain pair of running shoes on Temu has jumped in price from $14 to $27.

This price surge reflects the dilemma retailers face in responding to Trump's tariff policies. Experts point out that high tariffs have weakened the manufacturing advantages of countries like China, but restructuring supply chains or shifting production bases not only takes years but can also cost hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. The uncertainty of tariff rates and the duration of policies make it even more difficult for companies to formulate long-term plans.

Last week, Trump revealed that the U.S. and China are actively negotiating how to resolve trade differences, and he expects tariffs on Chinese imports to "significantly" decrease. However, Chinese officials immediately denied the negotiation news, reiterating their demand for the U.S. to lift tariffs on China.

Analysts from the investment consulting firm Oxford Economics stated in a report last Friday: "Tariffs on Chinese goods are likely to be reduced from the current effective rate of over 100%, but the specific timeline remains unclear."