‘We were at their mercy’: inside the Amazon tactics that hiked prices across the internet
Internal emails and court documents suggest Amazon pressured suppliers to keep prices higher on rival retail sites to maintain its own competitive advantage. Amazon denies these price-fixing allegations, claiming its practices ultimately benefit consumers.
Why it matters
The report highlights potential antitrust concerns regarding how dominant e-commerce platforms influence market pricing and competition.
Amazon price hike The price we pay US news ‘We were at their mercy’: inside the Amazon tactics that hiked prices across the internet Internal emails revealed in court and interviews with ex-employees describe how Amazon’s practices drove up prices for competitors like Walmart and Target. Amazon denies price-fixing claims and says it works to lower costs for consumers
About this content George Joseph Tue 21 Jul 2026 12.39 EDT Last modified on Tue 21 Jul 2026 16.52 EDT Share A “modern leather” table lamp, listed online at Walmart, shot up from $24.99 to $39. The price of an air fryer on a retail site called Newegg went from $84.99 to $149.99.
An electric ice-cream maker was listed at just $17.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. Then it became unavailable at Best Buy, and more than tripled in price to $59.99 at Amazon.
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