That’s according to a report late Sunday (July 20) by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which conducted an analysis of nearly 2,500 products, such as deodorant and protein shakes.
Amazon said in April that it would keep prices down, but the WSJ said its analysis of prices from the eCommerce data firm Traject Data found that while Amazon’s price increased for 1,200 of its cheapest household goods, rival Walmart reduced prices on the same items by almost 2%.
The WSJ notes that the differing strategies demonstrate how retail giants are approaching pricing amid ongoing tariff-related uncertainty.
Reached for comment by PYMNTS, Amazon disputed the findings in the WSJ report, calling it false and misleading. The company later issued a longer response to the report.
“Amazon offers over 6 million everyday essential items, yet the WSJ focused their story on just under 2,500 low-priced everyday essentials products—less than 0.04% of our everyday essentials selection. This isn’t responsible sampling; it’s surgical cherry-picking,” Amazon said.
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“Also, the WSJ looked only at prices on two specific dates, January 20 and July 1. Selecting two specific dates versus evaluating over a period of time is a methodology that any credible researcher would recognize would yield inaccurate findings.”
According to the WSJ report, the makers of several of the goods that became more expensive on Amazon told the WSJ they hadn’t increased the prices they charged retailers. And prices went up for domestically-manufactured products — like “Made in U.S.A” Campbell’s soup.
The WSJ added that imported products and those made in the U.S. with imported components saw even larger price increases. The report uses the example of a stackable metal basket from Ohio-based Dayglow LLC, which sold for $9.31 before the tariffs were announced, with its price climbing to $19.99 by mid-April.
PYMNTS examined the landscape facing Amazon and other major retailers in a report last week on these companies’ pivotal summer sales events.
“At the center of the ongoing retail transformation is a consumer cohort that is more cautious, more tech-savvy and more values-driven than ever before,” that report said.
“Demographically, Gen Z and younger millennials are driving new expectations. They want personalized experiences, instant fulfillment and ethical transparency. They’re also more likely to toggle between online and offline seamlessly — expecting their digital cart to follow them from app to aisle.”
The financial mood, the report added, is somber, thanks to the resumption of student loan payments, elevated mortgage rates, tariffs and inflation.
Research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that more than 8 in 10 consumers are taking steps to mitigate the financial impact of tariffs on their bank accounts.
“In fact, the average individual is making nearly five such behavioral changes, and 44% of consumers have already changed their shopping habits in response to tariff-induced price pressures,” PYMNTS wrote.
