AV Manufacturers Aren’t the Only Ones to Raise Prices Because of the Tariffs…Amazon May Also Have To

Amazon prices may go up as a result of the continuing Trump tech tariffs on Chinese goods. But is the AV industry really upset by that?

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AV Manufacturers Aren’t the Only Ones to Raise Prices Because of the Tariffs…Amazon May Also Have To

The Trump Tech Tariffs have caused some AV electronics products’ prices to fluctuate and integrators’ overhead to increase. But good news for those who are dedicated to the channel: Amazon prices may also go up.

According to a Reuters report, Amazon will need to raise U.S. prices by 2.1% to 2.6% in order to offset the Trump administration’s tariffs on Chinese goods.

This differs from the existing tariffs the AV industry had experienced on specific parts made in China. The new 15% tariff on various Chinese goods went into effect Sunday and also include smart watches, flat-panel TVs, and footwear, says Reuters.

Is the AV industry really upset that Amazon prices will go up, too?

If anything, I’d expect most integrators to see this as poetic justice, since there’s been a major issue with some resellers going outside of the channel for AV products.

Not only is that a generally unwise thing to do if you’re hoping to maintain warranties and guarantee legitimacy: in some cases, it could also be illegal.

How to spot fraud and other shady deals on AV products: Selling AV Products Outside the Channel Isn’t Only a Bad Idea—It May Be Illegal

“If there’s a product that’s priced way below what you can get through the channel, there’s probably a good reason for that,” says Sam Taylor, Almo Professional A/V executive VP and COO.

“Most of our true AV partners understand the importance of not going around the channel and not grabbing that little bit of extra business.”

So if you’re an integrator affected by the recent onslaught of Trump tech tariffs, you can at least take some comfort in the fact that undercutters are going to be paying more, too.

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