Amazon Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Trump Tariff Price Hikes

Amazon.com Inc. is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit in Seattle federal court, accused of inflating product prices due to tariffs later ruled unlawful by the U.S. Supreme Court. The case centers on tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which the Supreme Court determined exceeded his executive authority. Plaintiffs claim Amazon collected hundreds of millions of dollars in added tariff-related costs from shoppers without attempting to recover those funds from the government. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon passed the higher import costs directly to consumers through increased prices on imported goods. Plaintiffs argue that ordinary consumers cannot legally request tariff refunds themselves, leaving retailers as the only possible target for financial recovery. The complaint also alleges Amazon's refusal to pursue refunds may be politically motivated, referencing reports from April 2025 claiming Amazon considered displaying how much of a product's price came from IEEPA tariffs. The reports triggered criticism from the White House and allegedly led to a direct phone call between Donald Trump and Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos. Amazon later denied it planned to display tariff charges on product listings. However, plaintiffs argue the incident demonstrates the company's desire to avoid conflict with the Trump administration by allowing the government to retain the disputed tariff revenue. The legal complaint includes claims of unjust enrichment and violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. Amazon has not publicly commented on the ongoing litigation.

(Source：Econotimes)