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Should merchants be allowed to display how much of your cost goes to tariffs?
To answer the question in the title - merchants should be allowed to display tariff costs if they wish. The WH shouldn't interfere with this decision. Of course, the WH has a distinct preference for consumers to be ignorant of tariff's true costs.
"Why is the freakin government even involved with corporate decisions like this."
Because it reveals them as the complete and utter fools they are. Their followers are convinced that other countries or folks will be paying those tariffs but certainly not them. 47 said so and he doesn't lie (LOL, I can't believe I wrote that)
Actually this could be a very potent weapon against the tariffs if a number of retailers, especially the automotive industry, appliance dealers, and other sellers of expensive items included that information on their customer invoices.
Sure, Trump can intimidate large outfits like Amazon, but if your local auto dealer or repair shop shows it, what's he going to do about that? I'm just saying that there's a very powerful weapon available to "we the people", should we care to use it.
I read a Reuter's story many hours ago which stated that Amazon's small Haul division considered displaying tariff charges but this was never approved.
"The company said its smaller Haul division, which competes for low-cost buyers with Temu and Shein, had mulled displaying import levies. '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,' a company spokesperson said, adding that 'teams discuss ideas all the time.'" https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/white-house-amazon-tariff-price-announcement-is-hostile-2025-04-29/
Punchbowl News published the original report regarding Amazon. I'm curious what their report stated but can't access it since a subscription is required. I wonder if they wrote (or implied) that all Amazon tariff charges would be disclosed or that only the Amazon Haul division would disclose this information? https://punchbowl.news/article/tech/amazon-display-tariff-costs/
Comments
The WH shouldn't interfere with this decision.
Of course, the WH has a distinct preference for consumers to be ignorant of tariff's true costs.
Because it reveals them as the complete and utter fools they are. Their followers are convinced that other countries or folks will be paying those tariffs but certainly not them. 47 said so and he doesn't lie (LOL, I can't believe I wrote that)
The line item could say "Trump Tariff"...
Additional story
considered displaying tariff charges but this was never approved.
"The company said its smaller Haul division, which competes for low-cost buyers with Temu and Shein,
had mulled displaying import levies. '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,'
a company spokesperson said, adding that 'teams discuss ideas all the time.'"
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/white-house-amazon-tariff-price-announcement-is-hostile-2025-04-29/
Punchbowl News published the original report regarding Amazon.
I'm curious what their report stated but can't access it since a subscription is required.
I wonder if they wrote (or implied) that all Amazon tariff charges would be disclosed
or that only the Amazon Haul division would disclose this information?
https://punchbowl.news/article/tech/amazon-display-tariff-costs/