Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated on Thursday that Amazon sellers would most likely reply to President Donald Trump’s tariffs by elevating costs for shoppers.
“I feel they [sellers] will attempt to move the fee on,” Jassy informed CNBC in an interview.
Trump levied a ten% tariff on all buying and selling companions and an “a minimum of” 145% tariff on China earlier this week that might affect client costs. The tariff information has thrown Amazon sellers right into a panic as a result of the vast majority of items on the platform, as much as 70% of merchandise per Wedbush Securities estimates, come from China.
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Whereas sellers resolve whether or not to boost costs or soak up tariff prices, some Amazon customers might be responding to tariffs by stocking up earlier than any value hikes — although Jassy says the short-term nature of customer information makes it arduous to inform if it is a long-term development.
“Individuals haven’t stopped shopping for, and in sure classes, we do see individuals shopping for forward, nevertheless it’s arduous to know if it is simply an anomaly within the information as a result of it is just some days, or how lengthy it will final,” Jassy informed CNBC.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs
Amazon’s market consists of roughly 9.7 million sellers that contribute to 60% of gross sales on the platform. In keeping with Fox Enterprise, greater than half of the highest sellers on Amazon are primarily based in China.
Jassy informed CNBC that Amazon has made some “strategic” stock buys and is making an attempt to renegotiate phrases for some buy orders in response to tariffs. In keeping with Bloomberg, Amazon canceled orders for seashore chairs, scooters, air conditioners, and different merchandise from quite a few Amazon sellers in China final week after Trump introduced his tariff plan on April 2.
Amazon Is Nonetheless Spending on AI
Jassy additionally launched his annual shareholder letter on Thursday, outlining the explanation why Amazon is about to spend $100 billion this yr on AI.
In keeping with the letter, Jassy stated that AI at the moment requires a “substantial capital funding,” however will someday “not be as costly as it’s as we speak” as the price of AI chips goes down.
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