Tariffs and Your Amazon Cart: Why China‑Made Prices Are Outpacing Inflation

Prices for China‑made goods on Amazon have climbed 2.6% from January through mid‑June—faster than overall core goods inflation. Here’s a concise, mobile‑friendly breakdown of what’s happening, who’s feeling the squeeze.

1. Tariff Pass‑Through Is Here

Tariffs imposed on Chinese imports began in May to protect U.S. manufacturers—but now consumers are seeing the impact.

• DataWeave Analysis:
  Reviewed 1,407 China‑origin products on Amazon.
  Median basket price up 2.6% vs. 1% increase in core goods CPI.

• Third‑Party Sellers:
  Account for 62% of those items—many are smaller merchants with less margin buffer.

2. Inflation vs. E‑Commerce Pricing

Consumers assume e‑retail discounts beat brick‑and‑mortar, but rising input costs and shipping fees are eroding those savings.

• Core Goods CPI:
  Federal data shows a 1% rise over six months (annualized 2%).

• Amazon Basket:
  Outpacing that, signaling direct tariff pass‑through.

3. Commodity Costs & Supply‑Chain Pressures

Input prices for steel, aluminum and plastics feed into consumer‑goods costs.

• Metal & Energy Inputs:
  Use the Commodities API to monitor raw‐material trends that often foreshadow retail price shifts.

4. What It Means for Consumers and Retailers

• Consumers:
  Look for product substitutes or earlier holiday deals to lock in current prices.

• Retailers:
  Must decide whether to absorb tariffs or pass costs on—analyzing real‑time commodity and CPI data can guide that choice.

Conclusion
Tariffs are no longer a distant policy debate—they’re directly inflating the prices of everyday Amazon purchases.