Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN.US) launches seller survey: Small and medium-sized businesses struggling to cope with operating costs under heavy tariff pressures.

After President Trump rolled out a new round of high tariffs, the American e-commerce giant Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN.US) has begun to inquire with third-party sellers on its platform, hoping to understand the actual impact of these policies on their operations. According to a media-obtained email, starting last week, Amazon.com, Inc.'s seller relations team began contacting some American merchants, focusing on investigating the impact of the "current U.S. tariff situation" on product procurement, pricing strategies, logistics operations, and shipment plans to Amazon.com, Inc. warehouses. The email stated, "I would like to discuss the current U.S. tariff situation and see how it is affecting our business on Amazon.com, Inc., especially in terms of logistics. As of April 2025, we are still dealing with the impact of various tariff policies, and I think it is very necessary to understand your current situation and response strategies." As of the time of publication, Amazon.com, Inc. has not responded to the media regarding this email. Earlier reports indicated that this investigation has sparked widespread attention within the e-commerce industry. The Trump administration signed an executive order earlier this month to initiate a comprehensive tariff increase plan. Although the policy was adjusted a few days later to unify tariffs at 10% for all trade partners except China, the tariffs on Chinese goods remain as high as 145%, including additional taxes related to fentanyl implemented in February and March. For third-party sellers on Amazon.com, Inc. that rely on the Chinese supply chain, this change is undoubtedly a heavy blow. Currently, about 60% of the products on Amazon.com, Inc.'s website come from third-party sellers, with a significant portion of goods sourced from China. Some merchants have told the media that they will try to maintain their existing prices to remain competitive in the market, but if the tariffs persist, they may ultimately struggle to continue operations, even facing the risk of closure. Amazon.com, Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos admitted in an interview last week that some merchants may ultimately have to pass on the cost of tariffs to consumers. Bezos said, "I understand this approach, as many merchants' profit margins are not high enough to bear an additional 50% cost." Not only have third-party sellers on the platform been affected, but Amazon.com, Inc.'s own operations have also undergone adjustments due to the tariff policy. According to informed advisors, last week, Amazon.com, Inc. began canceling direct purchase orders from some Chinese suppliers. Some home goods and kitchen accessories suppliers only found out their orders were canceled when their goods were about to be picked up from the port by Amazon.com, Inc. On the market front, Amazon.com, Inc.'s stock price has fallen by 18% so far this year, while the Nasdaq index has also retraced by 13% during the same period. The sharp fluctuations in the stock and bond markets reflect investors' concerns about uncertainty.