*

Amazon ( AMZN ) says it considered tariff list on Haul, rejected

the idea

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Company denies any plan for tariff notes on main Amazon ( AMZN )

site

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Share prices initially drop 2%, partially recover

(Adds post from Taylor Greene in paragraph 10 and Trump quote

in paragraph 13)

By David Shepardson and Greg Bensinger

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - Amazon ( AMZN ) said on Tuesday

its low-cost Haul unit had considered listing import charges for

goods in light of new U.S. tariffs but denied looking at such a

plan for its main website, after the White House accused it of a

hostile political act.

The Seattle retailer spent a chaotic morning denying a

report from Punchbowl News that it planned to display prices

showing tariffs' impact on Amazon.com ( AMZN ). It acknowledged it had

considered it for certain inexpensive China-made products on

Haul but then rejected the idea.

The confusion initially prompted a 2% drop in Amazon ( AMZN )

shares after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called

the reported pricing plan "a hostile and political act by

Amazon ( AMZN )." Amazon ( AMZN ) denied the initial story .

The company said its smaller Haul division, which competes

for low-cost buyers with Temu and Shein, had mulled displaying

import levies. "The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon

Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on

certain products. This was never approved and (is) not going to

happen," a company spokesperson said, adding that "teams discuss

ideas all the time."

Amazon ( AMZN ) shares settled and were down less than 1% in

afternoon trading.

President Donald Trump has imposed a tsunami of tariffs on

U.S. trading partners, including China which has seen tariff

costs rise by 145% since Trump took office, sending many

corporations scrambling. Trump called Amazon ( AMZN ) founder and

executive chairman Jeff Bezos to complain about the Punchbowl

News report, a White House official said.

Automakers and others have said new tariffs could

drastically hike the cost of consumer goods.

Amazon's ( AMZN ) Haul site, which debuted in November, is

particularly susceptible to tariffs because it is dependent on

goods shipped directly from China, similar to popular low-cost

site Temu. In exchange for lower prices, customers face longer

shipping times.

Trump this month signed an executive order that closes a

trade loophole known as "de minimis" that has allowed low-value

packages from China and Hong Kong to enter the United States

free of duties. The order takes effect on May 2.

U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump

ally, jumped into the fray. "Ahhh come on Amazon ( AMZN )!!," she posted

on X. "I was getting so excited about the Amazon ( AMZN ) tariff tracker

so I could avoid buying anything from China!!"

Reuters reported on Monday that some third-party merchants

who previously sold China-made goods during Amazon's ( AMZN ) premier

July Prime Day shopping event are sitting it out this year or

reducing the amount of discounted merchandise they offer.

The company on Tuesday announced the return of Prime Day

this year, but did not provide specific dates, a departure from

prior announcements.

Trump was a frequent critic of Bezos during the

Republican's first term, particularly over what he said was

unfair coverage by The Washington Post, which Bezos owns.

Bezos and Amazon ( AMZN ) have appeared to try to reconcile with

Trump including by buying a documentary about first lady Melania

Trump for $40 million, contributing to the president's inaugural

fund and showing episodes of Trump's reality show The Apprentice

on Prime Video.

The strategy to remain in the White House's good graces

seemed to have been working. In a March interview with The

Atlantic that was published Friday, Trump said of Bezos, "He's

100 percent. He's been great."

But Leavitt on Tuesday cited a 2021 report by Reuters

that the tech company had partnered with a "Chinese propaganda

arm."

"So, this is another reason why Americans should buy

American," Leavitt said, underscoring the Trump administration's

efforts to shore up critical supply chains and boost domestic

manufacturing.

Amazon ( AMZN ) in 2021 said it "complies with all applicable laws

and regulations, wherever we operate, and China is no

exception."

The White House tweeted a link to the Reuters report

earlier Tuesday. The White House did not immediately comment

after Amazon ( AMZN ) denied the tariffs report.