Amazon vs. Walmart vs. Target: Who Raised Prices Most Under Tariffs?
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Brendan McGinley
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If you’ve noticed prices creeping up, tariffs may be to blame — and one retailer is leading the charge. An analysis of online pricing data by research firm DataWeave compared pricing trends at Walmart, Target and Amazon, and found that one is raising prices far more than the others.
Here’s a look at the big-box retailer that’s been jacking up prices amid tariffs.
Amazon Prices Surge Ahead of Walmart and Target
According to the DataWeave research, Amazon prices have risen nearly 13% this year on average as of the end of September. Meanwhile, Target prices are up around 6% and Walmart prices are up roughly 5%, CNBC reported. To track these price increases, DataWeave analyzed 16,000 items each from Amazon, Walmart and Target across categories, locations and time periods.
Which Categories Are Hit Hardest?
The analysis of prices across Amazon, Target and Walmart found that some categories of goods have seen significantly greater price increases than others. Apparel prices saw the highest surge, rising an average of nearly 12% from January through the end of September. Home goods prices were not far behind, increasing an average of 11% during that same time period.
Here’s a look at how other categories fared:
- Electronics, furniture and appliances: 8% increase on average
- Health and beauty items: 7% increase on average
- Pet goods and consumable products: 6% on average
Amazon prices for these categories increased even more:
- Apparel prices increased 14% on Amazon versus an average increase of 12%
- Home goods prices increased 15% on Amazon versus an average increase of 11%
- Pets and consumables prices increased 11% on Amazon versus an average increase of 6%
- Health and beauty prices increased 13% on Amazon versus an average increase of 7%
- Electronics, furniture and appliances prices increased 12% on Amazon versus an average increase of 8%
Why Amazon Is Raising Prices Faster
Guru Hariharan, founder and CEO of CommerceIQ, believes Amazon’s larger price spikes are due to its reliance on third-party sellers.
“Third-party sellers are far more exposed to tariff-driven cost increases,” he told CNBC. “They don’t have the scale, inventory flexibility or private-label leverage that large retailers like Walmart or Target can use to offset costs.”
What Rising Prices Mean for Your Holiday Budget
Rising costs across retailers are putting extra financial stress on many Americans who are already stretched thin. According to a Bank of America survey, 62% of Americans are already stressed about holiday spending due to economic factors that include tariffs and inflation. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) consumers say holiday gifts feel more expensive this year, and 58% believe that tariffs are to blame for these higher prices.
However, many Americans are taking action to help mitigate higher prices, including budgeting (53%), buying fewer gifts for fewer people (31%), shopping at discount stores (38%), and utilizing rewards or points (36%).
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