How Amazon pushes up prices all across the Internet
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Amazon forces sellers to raise prices everywhere through high fees and parity rules.
Amazon charges sellers fees totaling nearly 50% of each sale, including referral, fulfillment, advertising, and storage costs. Sellers must raise prices to cover these fees. Amazon's Fair Pricing Policy then prevents sellers from charging less on other sites, or they risk losing the Buy Box or being suspended. This means consumers pay Amazon's elevated prices even when shopping elsewhere. The FTC has sued Amazon over these practices, alleging illegal monopoly maintenance; the case is set for trial next year.
What commenters are saying
Commenters confirm Amazon fees often consume roughly 50% of a sale, making it hard for sellers to profit. Several note they have stopped shopping on Amazon, finding local retailers or AliExpress cheaper. Others point out that Amazon's Fair Pricing Policy is illegal in the UK and EU, where it does not apply. Some defend Amazon's logistics as unmatched, while others argue the model is anti-competitive, with one calling it "tech feudalism."