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By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 15/10/2026

Amazon doesn't mind if prices go up, so long as Amazon's price remains competitive. So Amazon imposes a requirement on its suppliers called "most favored nation," which requires sellers to offer their best price on Amazon: pluralistic.net/2026/02/25/m...

pluralistic.net

Pluralistic: The whole economy pays the Amazon tax (25 Feb 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

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By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 15/10/2026

Practically speaking, that means that when you raise your price on Amazon, you *must* raise your prices *everywhere* by the same amount, which means that no matter where you shop (Target, Walmart, the corner store or direct from the factory), you pay the Amazon Tax.

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By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 15/10/2026

The Amazon Tax is a prime (you should forgive the expression) example of enshittification, in which an *intermediary* (a business that sits between buyers and sellers, AKA, "a platform") screws *both* customers *and* sellers to benefit itself.

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